The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Prince Adewole Adebayo, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has proposed the establishment of thousands of decentralised electricity systems as part of measures to address Nigeria’s persistent power crisis.
The proposal, contained in his book, Farewell to Poverty and Insecurity, calls for a two-track approach involving continued expansion and modernisation of the national grid alongside rapid development of mini-grids, embedded generation and stand-alone power systems.
Under the proposed National Distributed Electricity Initiative, states, local governments, communities, cooperatives, farms, schools, hospitals, markets and businesses would be encouraged to develop electricity systems suited to their local needs.
The plan identifies solar, small hydro, wind, biomass, natural gas and hybrid systems as potential sources of decentralised electricity.
The blueprint proposes the development of tens of thousands of such systems within four years, arguing that this could help extend reliable electricity to underserved communities while reducing pressure on the national grid and transmission losses.
It also proposes dedicated power arrangements for industrial parks, manufacturing clusters, agro-processing centres, technology parks, hospitals and universities through embedded generation, captive plants and independent power projects.
Another proposal is the establishment of a Bank of Electricity, which would provide long-term, single-digit financing for mini-grids, embedded generation and the local manufacture of transformers, meters, cables, solar panels, batteries, inverters and other electricity equipment.
The book also proposes transforming the National Power Training Institute into a broader electricity and renewable-energy training network for engineers, technicians, artisans and other participants in the sector.
Adebayo’s proposal does not envisage replacing the national grid. It calls for continued investment in generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure, alongside improved metering, reduced technical and commercial losses and better grid management.
On electricity billing, the blueprint proposes stronger consumer protection, accurate metering and enforceable service standards, including the principle that consumers should not be charged for electricity that is not supplied.
The proposals form part of the wider economic strategy in Farewell to Poverty and Insecurity, which identifies reliable electricity as a key factor in reducing business costs, improving industrial productivity and expanding employment.
