By Okechukwu Keshi Ukegbu
Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has described reliable power supply as the bedrock of industrial growth and economic development, stressing that no society can achieve sustainable productivity without steady electricity.
Governor Otti made the assertion at the South East Vision 2050 Regional Stakeholders’ Forum held at the International Conference Centre, Enugu.
He said the transformation being witnessed in modern Aba clearly demonstrates that increased investments and higher enterprise output are directly linked to steady, predictable power supply.
According to the governor, while the cost of generating and distributing electricity for domestic and industrial use may be high, it pales in comparison to the economic and social losses suffered in the absence of reliable power.
“Agreed that it is expensive to generate and distribute electricity for domestic and industrial applications; the high cost, in the final analysis, is nothing compared to what the whole of society pays for the metaphorical and actual darkness that are guaranteed in the absence of reliable supply,” Otti said.
He noted that debates around Nigeria’s power sector challenges have often focused on insufficient capital injection, but argued that the problem goes beyond funding.
“Over the years, the argument among experts on the Nigerian energy conundrum has centred mostly on insufficient capital injection. But when you tabulate how much has been committed to the sector in the last 26 years by different administrations and compare the outlay to the results, you will agree with me that the challenge goes beyond money,” he stated.
Governor Otti identified Geometric Power Limited, Aba, as a leading private-sector power infrastructure company in Abia State and the South East, highlighting its impact on electricity reliability in the region.
He explained that the Aba ring-fenced power area operates independently of the national grid, making it largely immune to nationwide grid failures and ensuring more reliable and predictable power supply than most parts of the country.
The governor also commended the Federal Government for what he described as bold reforms in the energy sector, particularly the liberalisation of the electricity market under the Nigerian Electricity Act of 2023, which he said has opened new opportunities for subnational governments and private investors to drive power development.
