The presidential candidate of the Labour party in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, has called for a strong political will to address the current electricity crisis in Nigeria.

Obi who was referring to a report of uninterrupted electricity in Tanzania, where the country had shut down some electricity supply because it had enough added that the current electricity production cannot power or be enough for any of the major cities in Nigeria let alone the rural areas.

He furthered that while the Tanzanians could afford to ensure electricity supplies to all their major cities and the rural areas, that Nigeria cannot afford even 60 percent of its cities.

According to Obi, “I read a report in the media on how Tanzania, our East African fellow nation, recently shut down five hydroelectric stations to reduce excess electricity in the national grid.

“Their decision to shut down these power stations stemmed from the fact that their electricity production was already enough to power their major cities and give electricity access to the rural dwellers.

“In pain, I wondered how our nation, the giant of Africa, could not be able to power even one of the major cities, for example, the capital Abuja, while Tanzania has succeeded in powering all their major cities.”

Obi, who quoted a World Bank report noted, “A World Bank report showed how strong political will and commitment have been responsible for rapid electricity access in Tanzania which has seen electricity access move from seven percent in 2011, to almost 40 percent (37.7 percent) in 2020.”

He added, “A similar report, in June 2023, showed that about 70 percent of 40 million Tanzanians living in rural areas have received access to electricity, signifying a monumental growth in the sector, while regrettably Nigeria’s situation remains the opposite.
 “The government must, therefore, sanitise and rescue the sector for the good of the nation.”