The power sector is one of the ailing sectors that is riddled with several controversies beside the high level of corruption that has become a cancerworm in the country. Michael Oche writes on these controversies trailing it that is capable of truncating the privatization process.
Power generation in Nigeria over the past few decades has suffered from corruption and mismanagement, leading to a near-stagnated energy supply. Between 1999 and 2007, an estimated $16 billion was frittered away through award of dubious contracts to cronnies.
All these were in a bid to revamp the already-ailing power sector. In spite of these, Nigerians can barely enjoy five hours of steady power supply a day because the processes leading to the award of such contracts were fraught with high level corruption.
Those who cannot afford diesels for their generators are left to sleep in the dark under the scorching heat, while those who can afford it are forced to pay through the nose, if they must continue to enjoy the erratic power supply. Such had been the sad tale of the Nigerian power sector fifty two years after independence.
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