The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has challenged the German engineering company, Siemens, to transcend its engineering procurement contract business interests in Nigeria to become an active operator in the country’s power sector.
The Chairman, Dr. Sam Amadi, gave this charge when he received a delegation of the engineering firm led by the German Embassy official, Ms. Sophia Armauski, on a courtesy visit in Abuja.
Amadi stated that the country required the collaboration of multinational companies like Siemens to overcome its power supply challenge.
“We are looking forward to Siemens to obtain a licence to operate not just as an engineering procurement contract handling company, but own a power plant,” Amadi said.
He said that the Commission has concluded work on the regulatory framework and licencing procedure for renewable energy which could offer investment opportunities for the German engineering firm.
The four-man delegation explained that their visit was a follow up to the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel’s, earlier visit to Nigeria.
“The original idea was for German companies to bring their expertise in exchange for oil and gas. The Chancellor was here recently and met with President Goodluck Jonathan.
It was agreed that there was the need to bring more life into the relationship, so we are looking forward to new opportunities that is why we are here” Armauski said.
Siemens is currently involved in the construction of Afam, Geregu l & ll power plants in Nigeria.
n a related development, NERC has assured of its readiness to participate in future training organised by the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN).
This assurance was given when a team of expatriate resource persons under the auspice of NAPTIN and United Nations Public Service visited the Commission ahead of a two-week training programme for workers in the power sector.
The NERC boss who commended the initiative, said that NAPTIN has a crucial role to play in building human capital resource required for the power sector reform.
Earlier in his remarks, the director-general of NAPTIN, Engineer Reuben Okeke, informed that the training would include regulatory issues, change management, generation, transmission and distribution of electricity.
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