Poor Funding: NERC remitted over N1.8bn to REA in 2021 - Chairman

National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), yesterday, said it remitted a total of N1.8 billion to the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) this year, to ensure the agency remains afloat.

This was as the former Chairman of NERC, Dr Sam Amadi,  also regretted that electricity supply in Nigeria has remained at 40 per cent since 2010 in a country of over 200 million people.

Speaking at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and One-Day Workshop of Association of Rural Electrification Contractors of Nigeria (ARECON), in Abuja, NERC Chairman Sanusi Garba, restated the need for REA to be adequately funded. To this effect, he stated that NERC remits any excess funds to REA to keep it afloat and to this effect, NERC has remitted a total of N1.8 billion.

The Chairman who spoke through a representative, Alhaji Mohammed Bello, reiterated the need for local content practice in the industry which the former chairman, Sam Amadi established before he left office.

According to him, NERC has encouraged and pushed for mini-grid and renewable energy in the industry.

However, Amadi, in his remarks, thumped down on the slow penetration of electricity, which he said, has remained at 40 per cent since 2010.

He said thàt by now, the generation would have reached 14,000 megawatts. He advised the government to adequately invest in electricity infrastructure, saying that the government should change its budget size towards electricity infrastructure.