Business

Power Distributors Owe NERC, NBET, TCN N205.51bn

Published

6 years ago

August 27, 2018

Power distribution companies are not only indebted to their counterparts in the electricity generation arm of the sector, they also owe service providers a total of N205.51bn.
The service providers in the power sector are the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc, the Transmission Service Provider, the System Operator and the Market Operator.
The TSP, SO and MO are different arms of the Transmission Company of Nigeria.
Figures contained in the August 2018 report, presented by the MO to industry operators at the recent power sector stakeholders’ meeting, showed that the indebtedness of the Discos to service providers had been accumulating since the commencement of the Transitional Electricity Market.
The market (TEM) became operational on January 1, 2015, and its commencement led to the implementation of all contractual obligations in the privatised power sector.
The MO, in its report, which was obtained by our correspondent from the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing in Abuja on Friday, stated that the N205.51bn was the total indebtedness of the Discos to NERC, NBET and the TCN, from January 2015 to June 2018.
A further analysis of the report showed that the 11 Discos were indebted to the service providers.
Yola Disco’s N2.24bn debt, according to the MO, was the least among the debtors, while Abuja, Ibadan, Enugu, Kaduna and Port Harcourt Discos owe N26.48bn, N22.64bn, N21.95bn, N19.31bn and N19.14bn, respectively.
The Managing Director, TCN, Usman Mohammed, stated that the power distribution companies were withholding money meant for the expansion of the nation’s electricity transmission network.
According to him, the poor remittances from the Discos had made the country’s transmission company the most vulnerable arm of the power value chain in Nigeria.
Mohammed stated that if not for grants and loans from multilateral donors, the transmission company would not be able to expand its network.
He said, “If you look at the power sector, the TCN is the most vulnerable organisation. Why did I say that? I say that because the Discos are collecting our money and they keep all they want to keep and give the sector whatever they like.
“Power generation companies are covered by what they call payment assurance from the Federal Government which is about N701bn. The only arm of the sector that is not taken care of is the TCN and that is why we are the least paid in the industry.”
Mohammed added, “So, we had to go to multilateral donors like the World Bank to raise money for the expansion of the network. But you know you can’t use this money for operation. You cannot go to the World Bank and get money for running your system.
“The money you can get is for the expansion of your network, for hard investments. They can’t give you money for running your operations. So, this is the situation.”
But the Discos, through their spokesperson, Sunday Oduntan, argued that the fundamental problem in the sector currently was the electricity tariff gap.
He explained the gap as “the gap between what the government has specified as the price of the electricity that we distribute or retail and the true cost of the product.
“It is this gap that has solely contributed to the excess of N1.3tn that the Discos are carrying on their financial books, an impediment to both the sustainability of the electricity market and the ability of the investors to meet the obligations.”
Oduntan added, “Of important note is that we are not advocating or imposing a tariff increase on electricity consumers, some of whom are already dealing with affordability issues. We are stating that the mandated tariff gap is a responsibility of the government and should be addressed by the government, so that Nigerians can receive the improved electricity delivery service that they deserve.”
He also stated that the tariff gap was solely responsible for the debt, which the Discos owed power generation companies.

Business

Fuel Scarcity: IPMAN threatens shutdown over bridging claims

Published

10 hours ago

May 3, 2024

The Tide

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Depot Chairmen Forum, has exonerated its members from the current fuel scarcity in the country.

According to IPMAN, this is caused by its inability to source petroleum products.

The IPMAN Depot Chairmen Forum also threatened to withdraw its services over non-payment of N200 billion bridging claims by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to its members, since 2022.

Alhaji Yahaya Alhassan, the Chairman, of the Forum said this while briefing newsmen in Abuja, yesterday.

Alhassan said the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) was the sole importer of the product, but the marketers could not source products from NNPC Ltd. deport, rather from the private depots at high rate.

“We cannot buy fuel from the private depots at N950 and transport the product from Lagos to the North and other parts of the country with N2 million and still sell it at N900 or N1, 000.

“It is expedient for us to state that we are more pained by the non-availability of petroleum products in the country, which has given rise to another round of untold hardship for Nigerians.

“Contrary to claims that IPMAN members are hoarding Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) known as fuel, we would like to categorically state that PMS scarcity is wholly triggered by inability to get fuel from NNPC and not IPMAN,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, the NNPC Ltd. Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye said the disruption was due to logistical issues which had since been resolved.

“We currently have an availability of products exceeding 1.5 billion litres, which can last for at least 30 days. Unfortunately, we experienced a three-day disruption in distribution due to logistical issues, which has since been resolved.

“However, as you know, overcoming such disruptions typically requires double the amount of time to return to normal operations.

“Some folks are taking advantage of this situation to maximise profits. Thankfully, product scarcity has been minimal lately, but these folks might be exploiting the situation for unwarranted gain,’’ Soneye said.

He however, said the lines would clear out soon.

On the non-payment of bridging claims, the IPMAN forum said it was distressed and depressed by the laidback attitude of the NMDPRA towards the survival its member’s businesses, arising from its refusal in paying the claims.

“It is with deep frustration that we have assembled here today as the IPMAN Depot Chairmen Forum. It is also disheartening to note that some of our members have completely shut down businesses and retrenched employees.

“As businessmen and women, our members acquired bank loans to keep their fuel retail outlets running on a daily basis across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria in order to serve the teeming population of Nigerians,’’ Alhassan said.

He recalled that Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil), at a stakeholders meeting in February mandated the NMDPRA management to clear the entire debt in 40 days.

“However, today, we have crossed the 40 days’ time lapse given to the NMDPRA to clear the debt, and it is shameful to state that only the paltry sum of N13 billion has been paid, ignoring minister’s directive.

“We are not happy with the indiscriminate increment in the issuance and renewal of Sales and Storage Licence, by the NMDPRA, and the subsequent delays in acquiring the licence, which our members are recently subjected to.

“We are also calling on President Bola Tinubu to look into this unwholesome figure which is highly detrimental to our business and reverse it forthwith, as it is bound to impact negatively on the masses.

“We are poised to take far reaching decisions that may cripple the supply and sales of petroleum products across Nigeria if our demands are not met within the shortest period of time.

“We are collectively prepared to withdraw our services, shut down every single outlet, and suspend lifting of products forthwith till our demands are fully met, and the consequences will be terrible.

“We call on our members to however remain resolute and law abiding, even as we draw close to the immediate ultimatum for our demands to be met by the NMDPRA,’’ the chairman said.

Reacting to the IPMAN’s claims, the Acting Head, Corporate Communications, NMDPRA, Seiyefa Osanebi said the bridging claims payment was ongoing.

“The bridging claims payment is always an ongoing process,” she said.

Maritime

Shippers’ Council Registers 160 Port Operators

Published

4 days ago

April 29, 2024

The Tide

The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) says it has registered 160 Port stakeholders into its Regulated Port Service Provider and Users platform since the initiative began in 2023.
Executive Secretary, NSC, Mr Pius Akutah, made the disclosure on the sideline of a sensitisation programme by the commission for port operators in Lagos, with the theme, “Regulated Port Service Provider and Users”.
Represented by the Director, Consumer Affairs, Chief Cajetan Agu, Akutah emphasised the significance of the programme for stakeholders.
He said the sensitisation programme was the second edition after its commencement during the last quarter of 2023.
The Secretary said the 160 registered port operators consist of agencies, terminal operators, shipping companies, individual port users as well as service providers.
“We invited the ports stakeholders for enlightening them on the processes for online registration of Regulated Port Service Provider and Users.
“We have demonstrated to them how to register and how to make payment and we were able to present before them the various categories of the registration.
“The rate of payment is also in the registration. The payment of each group depends on the operation. A shipper pays N30,000, terminal operators and shipping companies pay N300,000, truckers also pay N30,000, while some pay N50,000 and N100,000.
“The Council was able to intimate them on the benefits, because port users benefit more as we help to interface on reducing port charges from time to time”, Akutah said.
He said that there was a need to continue to work with port operators to stop delays and eliminate high costs to make the port efficient.
Also speaking, the Deputy Director, Stakeholders, Service, NSC, Mr Celestine Akujobi, said “the sensitisation exercise was important for the council to enable us bring all the port stakeholders together”.
According to him, this is to avoid challenges during the implementation of the council’s responsibilities.
“By the time we introduce sanctions on defaulters, no operators will complain that he or she is not aware of the registration.
“I’m happy with the turnout of this sensitisation. This shows that the operators are well informed of the statutory friction of the council as the port regulator.
“The final implementation will commence as soon as we discover that all the operators have keyed into the portal.
“We are engaging other ports across the country and we’re hopeful that before the last quater of 2024, the council will implement sanctions on defaulting operators”, Akujobi said.
Earlier, Vice Chairman, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwards (NAGAFF), Dr Ifeanyi Emoh, said port challenges were enormous, adding that they originated from some of the government agencies.

Emoh urged the council to look into regulating other government agencies, so that there could be a window through which they can collect port charges collectively instead of indiscriminately.

By: Chinedu Wosu