The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, has lamented over the effect of Nigeria’s energy crises on its activities, as it disclosed spending N76.7 billion in half year 2022, to source alternative power.

Reports shows that the sector was negatively affected while the electricity industry wobble following inability of Electricity Distribution Companies, DisCos to sustain steady supply.

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, in its latest report indicated that electricity supply to the industries from the national grid during the second half of year 2022 declined marginally to 11 hours per day from 12 hours recorded in the preceding half.

However, average number of outages per day stabilized at 4 times in the second half of 2022 as it was recorded for the first half of the year.

The reports also showed that power supply to the industry is still a huge challenge which accounts for huge investment of manufacturers in self-energy generation.

Consequently, expenditure of alternative energy source increased to N76.7 billion in the second half of 2022 from N45.04 billion recorded in the corresponding half of 2021; thus, indicating N31.66 billion or 70 percent increase over the period, said the DG, of MAN, Mr Segun Ajayi-Kadir.

It also increased by N8.9 billion or 13 per cent when compared with N67.8 billion recorded in the preceding half. The expenditure was incurred on procurement of diesel, gas, generators and spare parts, inverters and UPS, etc.

Proffering solution, Ajayi-Kadir, called on Government to develop and implement a roadmap for improved power supply focusing on off-grid solutions and independent power projects by the private sector to ensure adequate supply of energy for production and also attract and expand investment

In addition the Government should carry out further investment in the electricity value chain and commit to adding 10000MW to the current electricity distributed in the country, while also embrace and support significant development of energy mix and renewable: the country has huge potentials for Solar and Wind.

The MAN also recommended the commission the resuscitation of the existing national refineries to produce fuels locally; review the gas price for domestic consumption to be in tandem with the export price which is about $3.25 per cubic meter and promote energy efficiency and renewable energy deployment in industries and homes.

He said it would be valuable to incentivize more investment in gas aggregation to end gas flaring and optimize crude oil production based on OPEC quota and gas production to ramp up revenue now that hydrocarbon is still saleable.

Government according to the DG, should review the current status of the four national refineries to determine their current state and commission the CHIYODA Group, the Japanese company that built the national refineries to rehabilitate them to resume domestic refining.

In addition, he said it is important to review the Nigerian energy policy and ensure that available energy sources, particularly natural gas is optimally explored and exploited, create functional incentive to attract private sector investment in gas aggregation to end the current gas flaring.

To further balance the sector, there is need to create incentive to resuscitate private sector investment in the petrochemical industry, improve the capital expenditure on the energy sector for greater public investment in energy development as well as carry out and utilize the outcome, the Egypt’s energy development strategy.