The Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) is set to diversify Nigeria’s electricity generation mix with solar, mini-hydro and other renewable energy projects, particularly in northern Nigeria.
The company’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Jennifer Adighije, disclosed this on Wednesday while speaking before the House of Representatives Committee on Power during an oversight visit to the NDPHC headquarters in Abuja.
She said the initiative formed part of the second phase of the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP), aimed at moving the country beyond its traditional dependence on gas-fired power plants.
Adighije said northern Nigeria’s huge solar potential would play a key role in the renewable-energy drive, while the company was also considering off-grid solutions, mini-hydropower projects and other solar interventions to address electricity supply gaps.
“Where we are currently is NIPP Phase 1, which is power generation from fossil fuels, from gas. The NIPP Phase 2, in line with the Energy Transition Plan, is where we are diversifying our generation mix and preparing to transition to renewable energy,” she said.
The NDPHC boss said the company currently contributes about 4,000 megawatts to Nigeria’s installed generation capacity of approximately 12,000MW, representing about 30 per cent.
She disclosed that NDPHC had built 10 power plants under NIPP Phase 1, with seven commercially operational, two under construction and one undergoing upgrades.
Adighije also highlighted the company’s interventions in the transmission and distribution segments of the electricity value chain.
According to her, NDPHC has completed 120 transmission projects, comprising 60 330kV substations, 31 132kV substations and 37 expansion projects, with installed transformer capacity exceeding 10,000MVA.
She added that the company had undertaken hundreds of distribution projects, including the installation of distribution transformers as well as 33kV and 11kV lines across the country.
On achievements recorded under her administration, Adighije said the company had recovered 110 abandoned containers and 216 packages within its first 100 days, saving more than N30 billion.
She also listed debt recovery, digitalisation, improved procurement practices, asset restoration, completion of distribution projects and the recovery of generation units among the administration’s achievements.
The NDPHC chief disclosed that the company had recovered about $12 million from cross-border bilateral customers in Togo and other debtors from an outstanding debt of more than $50 million.
She said several turbines had also been recovered across NDPHC’s power plants, contributing about 470MW to the national grid.
However, Adighije identified transmission constraints, low tariffs, inadequate market settlements, gas supply challenges, unpaid debts and vandalism as major obstacles to the company’s operations.
She said NDPHC had more than 1,500MW of mechanically available generation capacity but was allocated an hourly dispatch of about 500MW, resulting in significant suppressed and stranded capacity.
According to her, the situation had cost the company more than N300 billion, prompting a call for regulatory intervention to review the dispatch merit order.
Adighije also appealed to the House Committee on Power to intervene in outstanding debts owed NDPHC by electricity market participants, including the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET), which she said had accumulated liabilities of more than N400 billion.
She further called for the settlement of obligations arising from NDPHC assets recognised in the regulated asset base of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
Responding, the Chairman of the House Committee on Power, Hon. Victor Nwokolo, commended the NDPHC management for its efforts to improve electricity generation and described the company’s work as critical to the entire power sector.
“We have also been to their power stations. And, honestly, they are taking some reasonable, very reasonable actions towards making Nigeria’s access [to] electricity,” Nwokolo said.
He stressed that the success of the power sector depended on effective generation, transmission and distribution, noting that a breakdown in one segment would affect the entire value chain.
“If they don’t generate, there’s nothing to transmit. If they don’t transmit, there’s nothing for me to distribute. So I must commend them,” he said.
Nwokolo also commended Adighije for her proactive approach to managing the company and addressing challenges confronting its power plants.
He cited the Alaoji power plant as an example, stressing that the facility could have faced a worse fate without proactive intervention by the NDPHC management.
The committee chairman assured the company that the legislature would examine the concerns raised and work with relevant stakeholders to address them.
He said the oversight visit was aimed at understanding NDPHC’s challenges and supporting the company in finding solutions, rather than creating an adversarial relationship between lawmakers and the agency.
Nwokolo further commended NDPHC for welcoming legislative oversight, noting that such visits provided opportunities for public agencies to showcase achievements, explain challenges and receive necessary legislative support.
