FG plans to connect Chad to national power grid

The Federal Government, despite the shortage of power supply in the country is said to be in negotiations with the Republic of Chad in an agreement that could see it commence the supply of electricity soon to the North-Central African country.

Gentechnews gathered that the Chad Minister of Energy, Mrs Ramatou Houtouin, was recently in Abuja in furtherance of the expected deal, with the Nigerian team led by top officials of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

Recalled, also that the Chadian ambassador to Nigeria, Abakar Chachaimi, a few months ago  had made a request for his country to be connected to Nigeria’s electricity grid during a visit to the Minister of Power, Mr. Sale Mamman in Abuja.

According to Chachaimi, connecting Chad to Nigeria’s electricity grid would further boost the historical and economic collaborations between both countries.

It was learnt that much of Nigeria’s generated electricity had remain unused because of poor transmission and distribution network, which has prompted it to sell to neighbouring countries.

If the agreement is eventually sealed, Chad will add to the number of countries that depend partly on Nigeria for their electricity needs, which include the Republic of Benin, which receives supplies of at least 80 per cent of the total quantum of electricity consumed in the country as well as Niger Republic and Togo.

A former Managing Director of TCN, Usman Mohammed, had hinted the international customers enjoy stable electricity because they have more reliable distribution network.

He lamented that the challenges with power distribution in Nigeria had made it difficult for consumers to enjoy stability in the power supply.

Nigeria is also in the forefront of the West African Power Pool (WAPP), which is a cooperation of the national electricity companies in Western Africa under the auspices of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which is said to be working to establish a reliable power grid for the region and a common market for electricity.

Member countries of WAPP include: Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, The Gambia, Togo, Senegal, and Sierra Leone and now headed by current Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Mr Sule Abdulazeez.