A pro-democracy group, Kwara Must Change, yesterday urged the Kwara State government to aim to become the first state in Nigeria with 100 percent electricity access.
The group noted that considering the ongoing efforts to make Ilorin, the state capital, a smart city, targeting 100 percent electricity access for the state in the next three years, “will indicate our readiness for development and industrialisation.”
In a statement by its convener, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, the group explained that there’s no state in Nigeria with 100 percent electricity access, except Lagos which is less than one percent away from the target.
According to Hamzat, Lagos State currently has the highest electricity access in the country with 99.3%, adding that Kwara State is amongst the top 3, with 90.6% access.
“Kwara State is also in the forefront, due to consistent efforts of the government over the years, but it can do more to expand electricity access and complete the task once and for all and move to other value chains of electricity, including energy equity and security, “ he said.
Explaining the possibility of the task, Hamzat said,” In November 1920, Vladimir Lenin, leader of the then Soviet Union (Russia) issued a slogan identifying electricity as the only remaining step in Russia’s development, making access to electricity a major target for the country and within the five years, the entire Russia federation had electricity access, allowing them to concentrate on other aspect of power generation as part of its broad 10 years plan.
“Similarly, in 2015, China successfully connected its 1.4 billion population to electricity access.”
Hamzat added that, in both Russia and China’s efforts to electricity access, three things are key: embedding electricity access as part of the development plan, articulating the mission appropriately to all stakeholders, at all levels, and making it the cornerstone of assessing progress and ensuring the right technology mix, especially at the rural areas.
“Achieving 100 percent electricity access will open a new chapter in our quest for energy security and will go a long way in attracting investors,” he added.
