The Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) has appealed for adequate funding to facilitate efficient delivery of its mandate to further enhance its contributions towards achieving hitch free networks of power transmission and distribution.
The NEMSA Managing Director and Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation, Engr. Aliyu Tukur Tahir, who made the appeal during interactive session with Journalists, however, catalogued most of the agency’s achievements in 2022 despite the dearth of funds.
Another critical challenge he disclosed include lack of investments by utility companies along the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) value chain, citing that the networks infrastructure of the distribution companies (DisCos) especially, are aging without any replacement and expansion being made by the investors to accommodate the growing demand for power supply.
According to him, “the danger is that as the network infrastructure ages on, they are subject to collapse and subsequently the collapse of the power supply network”.
Engr. Tahir while saying that the Agency made enormous achievements in 2022, maintained that the essence of the efforts being made is targeted at sustaining stability in the existing electricity networks and stem the use of substandard materials, cables and equipment in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI)
Some of the major achievements he recounted include: inspection of
10,876 new electrical projects; monitoring of 10,598 existing networks and resolving of 771 issues out of them; inspection 3,480 factories, public places and hotels; testing of 2,576,607 electricity meters; Certification of 2,719 electrical personnel and renewal 6,332; inspection of 647 pole manufacturers in the country; and removal of 68,168 substandard materials.
Other achievements recorded include
the investigation of 396 electrical accident sites, monitoring of DisCos compliance level on the existing networks; the establishment and inauguration of the first Meter Generation Musuem/Gallery at the National Meter Test Station, Oshodi, Lagos while those of Kaduna and Port Harcourt are awaiting commissioning.
Further, NEMSA Managing Director said the agency had undertook the Nigerian National Accreditation System (NINAS) ISO/IEC 17024 Certification process for the RSC Unit;
inaugurated Task force on Monitoring / Evaluation of existing networks to stem the use of substandard electrical materials and equipment.
Apart from these, he said the agency has certified 36 electricity meters and instruments manufacturing assembling companies in Nigeria and recertified QMS ISO 9001:2015 to ensure all certifications of NEMSA are of international standards.
Going forward, Engr. Tahir assured that given adequate funding and support from NESI stakeholders, the agency will continue to build on the successes earlier recorded.
According to him, “The National Monitoring of existing networks and equipment in the country; to which a Task Force was set up by NEMSA last year to drive the process will continue.
“Already four Distribution companies namely Abuja, Ibadan, Ikeja and Eko were monitored by the Taskforce. This year, the monitoring exercise will continue to cover the six other distribution companies namely; Port Harcourt, Kano, Kaduna, Yola, Jos, Benin and Enugu.
“In furtherance of this, we are embarking on the certification of electrical materials/equipment used in the Power sector. We are at the moment carrying inspection and testing of electrical equipment of major importers/distributors of electrical equipment in the country. This is to ensure that the specification of the equipment imported into the country are in line with technical standard and extant regulation.
“We are also strengthening NEMSA’s facilities nationwide for increased revenue earnings. Such facilities include the Central stores in Oshodi, Lagos, Kaduna and Port Harcourt which are expected to generate funds this year into the NEMSA’s coffers.
“There is also tremendous effort to stimulate the revenue profile of NEMSA’s Hiab Truck, Jetty water front in Lagos, Abuja clinic in Maitama District and the Transformer workshop.”
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