By Chesa Chesa
Vice President Kashim Shettima, has said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains determined to reform and strengthen Nigeria’s power sector, as Nigeria cannot afford to gamble with energy security.
The Vice President, who spoke on Thursday in Abuja when he commissioned the new head office of the Nigerian Electricity Liability Management Company (NELMCO) in Asokoro District, said what the administration is set out to achieve requires a commitment to data-driven decision-making, intelligent use of technology in asset management, and stronger partnerships with both local and international stakeholders.
“Above all, it requires that governance, transparency, and accountability remain the guiding principles of this institution. This is why the commissioning of this headquarters must symbolise a new phase of modernisation, efficiency, and forward-thinking leadership.
“This administration remains resolute in its commitment to reform and strengthen the power sector. Permit me to commend the Board, Management, and staff of NELMCO for your dedication. Yours is a task that often goes unnoticed, yet it is foundational to everything we seek to achieve in this sector. You are, in many ways, the custodians of the sector’s credibility,” he stated.
Underscoring the crucial role NELMCO plays in the power sector, Senator Shettima said the electricity firm represents the nation’s commitment to confronting “the burdens of yesterday so that they do not mortgage the possibilities of tomorrow.”
He noted that the power electricity is an assurance that the Tinubu administration understands that “energy security is the ultimate foundation upon which national progress must stand.”
Categorically, the VP said Nigeria is counting “on the aspiration of NELMCO to restore a measure of confidence within the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.”
This, he maintained, aligns with the broader agenda of President Tinubu, which is the “commitment to reposition the energy sector as a commercially viable and investment-ready space.”
VP Shettima expressed belief that the new NELMCO headquarters would breathe “a new lease of life into the institution and strengthens it.
“Whatever we do in investing in the capacity to solve problems that are often invisible but always consequential cannot reasonably be said to be enough unless we provide a lasting solution to these legacy challenges,” he added.
He called on partners in the private sector and the international community to invest in Nigeria’s power sector, reaffirming that the nation remains open for business.
“We are committed to creating a transparent, predictable, and investor-friendly environment. Institutions like NELMCO demonstrate that we are not only serious about reform, but capable of sustaining it,” he further stated.
Earlier, Vice Chairman of the NELMCO Board and Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, said a stable power sector, which NELMCO is working to achieve, will positively impact SMEs, while supporting Nigeria’s overall economic growth.
He noted that President Tinubu remains focused on transforming the power sector, leading to several initiatives and policies, including the recent establishment of the Grid Asset Management Company (GAMCO), which, according to him, addresses critical aspects of the power sector and the country as a whole.
