Tinubu determined to strengthen power sector, Shettima vows at NELMCO office inauguration

Vice-President Kashim Shettima said on Thursday that the administration of President Bola Tinubu remains determined to reform and strengthen Nigeria’s power sector.

Stanley Nkwocha, senior special assistant to the president on media and communications (office of the vice-president), said Shettima, speaking at the commissioning of the new head office of the Nigerian Electricity Liability Management Company (NELMCO) in Asokoro District, stated that Nigeria cannot afford to gamble with energy security.

The vice-president said the administration’s goals require a commitment to data-driven decision-making, the intelligent use of technology in asset management, and stronger partnerships with local and international stakeholders. He emphasized that governance, transparency, and accountability must remain the guiding principles of the institution.

The commissioning of the headquarters symbolises a new phase of modernisation, efficiency, and forward-thinking leadership, Shettima said. He commended the board, management, and staff of NELMCO for their dedication to a foundational task that often goes unnoticed.

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Shettima noted that NELMCO plays a crucial role in the power sector by confronting past burdens to protect future possibilities. He described energy security as the ultimate foundation for national progress and charged the agency to restore confidence within the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.

This aligns with President Tinubu’s broader agenda to reposition the energy sector as a commercially viable and investment-ready space, the vice-president maintained. He expressed belief that the new headquarters would provide a new lease of life to the institution and strengthen its capacity to solve “invisible but always consequential” problems.

Global investment and private sector partnerships

Shettima called on private sector partners and the international community to invest in the power sector, reaffirming that the nation remains open for business. The government is committed to creating a transparent, predictable, and investor-friendly environment, with institutions like NELMCO demonstrating the capability to sustain reform.

Wale Edun, vice-chairman of the NELMCO board and minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, earlier stated that a stable power sector would positively impact small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) while supporting overall economic growth.

Adebayo Adelabu, minister of power, said the new edifice demonstrates federal efforts to strengthen power sector liquidity. He stressed that the decentralisation and liberalisation of the sector are anchored on the Electricity Act, which allows the 36 states to participate actively in electricity provision

Senator Oyelola Yisa Ashiru, representing Enyinnaya Abaribe, chairman of the Senate committee on power, said the new office would save funds previously spent on rent. Mojoyinoluwa Dekalu-Thomas, managing director and CEO of NELMCO, noted that the agency has moved beyond debt settlement, generating revenue of more than N30bn for the federal government.