Technology

6,000MW Needed to Reduce Power Outages in Nigeria

Published

9 years ago

December 29, 2015

NIGERIANS may have inadequate power supply for a long time as Sam Amadi, the out-going Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, said that 6,000 megawatts of regular supply of electricity is needed before power outages can be significantly reduced in the country.

Amadi, who was speaking during a public hearing on the activities of NERC and Distribution Companies, Discos, as they relate to infrastructure and billing by the House of Representatives Committee on Power, also said that 55 percent of consumers remain un-metered. He attributed this to legacy issues which have resulted in consumers being charged through estimated billing.

Amadi lamented that the cloning of meters and bypassing of meters remain a major challenge particularly in some parts of the country and this results in loss of revenue for Discos. Responding to reports that the regulatory body is soft on Discos for infractions and inefficiencies particularly in metering, Amadi agreed, but however noted that the agency is not quick to wield the big stick in order to build investors confidence in the sector. He also attributed it to the fact that the Discos are still experiencing several challenges.

“It is in the interest of consumers that we help Discos and generating companies to survive, but from the beginning of this year, we have been penalising. Recently, we asked Abuja Disco to pay N18 million to the family of a child who was electrocuted, and they did that,” he said.

Amadi added that Abuja Disco was also mandated to compensate 32,000 consumers with about N50 million due to over-billing. He explained further that the Discos are experiencing several challenges. “You talk about tariff, but what about gas? The telecommunications industry has the advantage of technological innovations. Electricity is a conservative technology, we cannot do without gas, even if we build solar everywhere,” he said, adding that the discos have to deal with weak infrastructure.

Also speaking at the public hearing, Mark Karst, managing director, Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, said the company is targeting 20,000 megawatts of electricity by the year 2020 and would need $1 billion annually to achieve the target. He noted that the money required is a huge sum.

Karst put the current power generation at 4,800 megawatts, with potential for 5,400 and 6,000 in a very short time if certain adjustments are made. He disclosed that the tariff application of TCN with NERC has been pending since the middle of 2014. “Transitional electricity market declared in February 2015 has not been effective,” he said, adding that the power sector remains a difficult field to navigate for all players involved.

Igariwey Enwo, member of the committee, however, challenged that NERC has being soft on Discos which resulted in them not being keen on metering, and campaigning for the switch to smart meters. “No individual in my state, Ebonyi, has a single pre-paid meter. Many people there have never even seen what it looks like…you have to make it mandatory for them to go ahead with the metering,” he said,

The lawmakers raised several challenges which consumers continue to experience, such as mass disconnection, paying for transformers, cables and even labour to get electricity and exploitation through estimated billing.

Daniel Asuquo, chairman, House Committee on Power, said the committee takes the issue of local content seriously, and Nigerians must be given right of first refusal. He also lamented that the TCN wholly owned by the government, is being owed by the discos despite the N213 billion loans granted to them by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

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Samed Olukoya

Is the CEO and Founder of Investors King Limited. He is a seasoned foreign exchange research analyst and a published author on Yahoo Finance, Business Insider, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur.com, Investorplace, and other prominent platforms. With over two decades of experience in global financial markets, Olukoya is well-recognized in the industry.

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E-commerce

Nigerians To Enjoy 85% Discount On Groceries, Phones, Home Appliances, Others As Konga Begins Yakata Black Friday Sale

Published

13 hours ago

November 5, 2024

Ugwoke Ogbodo

Consumers in Nigeria now have opportunity to get 85 percent discount on products of their choice in this year’s yuletide as Konga, Nigeria’s leading e-commerce group, has officially commenced its highly anticipated annual Konga Yakata Black Friday sale.

The offer that was launched on Friday, November 1st, will run through November 30th, 2024.

The Konga Yakata Black Friday campaign is a unique opportunity for Nigerian consumers to access premium products at unbeatable prices, while also benefiting from Konga’s trusted logistics and payment solutions. Shoppers are encouraged to visit Konga.com to take advantage of these exceptional offers throughout November.

According to the management of the firm, this year’s Yakata sale brings unbeatable offers across all Konga subsidiaries, including Konga Online, Konga Retail, KongaPay, Konga Travel and Tours, Konga Health, and Konga Logistics.

Touted as the “Biggest Sale of the Year,” Konga Yakata Black Friday offers consumers the opportunity to enjoy up to 85% discount on a wide range of products across categories, including groceries, phones and accessories, home appliances, fashion, and beauty.

It is believed that the sale campaign will usher significant relief to shoppers as Konga moves to cushion the effect of the nation’s harsh economic realities.

As a trusted and authorized retailer of leading Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), Konga provides shoppers with unmatched access to genuine products from renowned brands such as Starlink, L’Oreal, Apple, Samsung, Philips, Zinox, Nokia, Hisense, Oppo, Infinix, Lenovo, and HP.

It further asked consumers to expect not only the convenience of authentic goods but also a distinct pricing advantage on these premium brands.

The Yakata campaign also supports Nigerian small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) by driving consumer demand through nationwide awareness and promoting e-commerce adoption.

It indicated that Konga has invested significantly in creating awareness for Yakata, enabling more Nigerians to leverage online shopping for their essential needs and lifestyle desires.

For this year’s offer, the deals do not end on Konga.com alone as Konga, through its subsidiaries, provides exclusive deals to customers during the Yakata period:

Konga Travel and Tours affiliates and top clients were asked to watch out for perks including free weekend hotel accommodations, and a zero-service charge for corporate clients who book travel during the Yakata campaign.

Konga Health is offering exciting discounts on renowned brands like CeraVe and on your favourite beauty and health products. Customers can also use your favourite Konga Health influencer’s voucher code to unlock even more exclusive deals and freebies! Stay tuned to Konga Health’s social media pages for the latest updates and announcements.

KongaPay is offering shoppers who use KongaPay for purchases on Konga.com will receive a 10% discount, with additional benefits like 10% off on bill payments including electricity, cable TV, and data.

It added that users who maintain a savings balance of at least NGN50,000 are eligible for a 15% annual interest rate. As part of a special promotion, shoppers who use KongaPay also stand a chance to win cash prizes in a 100k giveaway. To qualify, customers simply need to download the KongaPay app and create an account in minutes.

Assuring customers of a seamless delivery system, Konga Logistics noted that it offers delivery at competitive, discounted rates. Konga Logistics assured that a seamless shopping experience with reliable and affordable delivery options for all purchases made during the Yakata season.

Telecommunications

MTN Nigeria Strengthens Working Capital By Raising N50bn In New Commercial Paper

Published

18 hours ago

November 5, 2024

Ugwoke Ogbodo

MTN Nigeria Communications PLC (MTN Nigeria) has disclosed plans to raise N50 billion through its latest issuance of commercial paper (CP) to boost its working capital.

The plan is under N250 billion Commercial Paper Issuance Programme.

Not only that this Series 11 and 12 CP issuance is expected to strengthen MTN Nigeria’s short-term working capital, it will also diversify its financing base.

A notification to the Nigerian Exchange Limited and the investing public further revealed that this proposed issuance is part of MTN Nigeria’s ongoing strategy to tap the debt market as a flexible funding source to meet immediate financial needs.

It builds upon the company’s series of CP issuances in the past year as it pursues a robust approach to balance its capital structure.

The funds are expected to support the company’s operational and growth requirements as it seeks to expand its infrastructure, improve service delivery, and cater to the increasing demand for telecommunications and digital services across Nigeria.

MTN’s financial statement as of September 2024 suggests it has negative working capital of about N1.49 trillion

The cash flow is necessary in order to enable the company meet cash flow demands and service short-term debt without over-relying on long-term financing

This approach provides financial flexibility, allowing MTN Nigeria to manage interest costs and adjust its debt profile in line with operational cash flow, which is critical for a company with significant external loans.

The issuance also serves the broader purpose of diversifying MTN Nigeria’s financing sources, reducing reliance on bank loans, and maintaining a balance between short- and long-term debt.

This financial strategy not only enhances MTN’s liquidity but also positions it to better withstand the economic challenges in Nigeria’s volatile business environment.

While the company has yet to disclose specific terms of the Series 11 and 12 notes, further details are expected to be shared in the coming weeks.

E-commerce

Jumia Nigeria Launches Black Friday Offers, Extends Services To Smaller Towns, Villages

Published

1 day ago

November 4, 2024

Ugwoke Ogbodo

Jumia Nigeria has launched its Black Friday deals and offers as consumers in smaller towns and villages nationwide now have access to its shopping experiences.

The company disclosed that it is expanding e-commerce access bearing in mind that the prevalent economic downturn in the country is having its tolls on many Nigerians, especially those in rural communities.

It disclosed that the campaign will run from November 1st to November 30th, 2024 with the theme ‘No Too Calculate’.

Reiterating its commitment to creating a simpler, stress-free shopping experience for Nigerians amid economic challenges, Jumia promised to allow consumers to enjoy great savings without budgetary worries.

Disclosing that this year’s Black Friday campaign is supported by Xiaomi as the platinum partner, alongside renowned brands such as Oraimo, Nivea, Infinix, Tecno, Itel, Haier Thermocool, Binatone, Pernod Ricard, Diageo, Bacardi, Hikers, Ecoflow, Skyrun, Glamstar, Ledrop, Unilever, Macallan, LG, and others, the CEO, Jumia Nigeria, Sunil Natraj stressed that the campaign is about making e-commerce more accessible to consumers in Nigeria.

Recognising the current economic situation in the country , Natraj said Jumia has worked closely with its brand partners to offer the best possible deals to consumers during this period.

According to him, Jumia expanded its network of Pickup Stations to ensure that even more consumers, regardless of their location, can benefit from the convenience of online shopping.

Harping on the company’s priority of creating real value for both its consumers and sellers through its extensive ecosystem, the CEO said those in rural areas would easily participate in the online shopping and get their delivery seamlessly.

For the Country Manager, Xiaomi Nigeria, Xingyu Yang, everyone deserves access to the latest cutting-edge technology, noting that Jumia Black Friday is the perfect opportunity for consumers to experience Xiaomi’s nnovative products at unbeatable prices.

He said since Jumia introduced Black Friday to Nigeria in 2014, the company has continued to unlock new opportunities for both consumers and businesses, expressing confidence that Nigeria will play a pivotal role in projection that online shopping in Africa will reach $75 billion by 2025.

He added that the Black Friday campaign serves as a powerful platform for international and local brands as well as SMEs to expand their reach and boost sales.

To make the online shopping and delivery easier, Yang stated that Jumia has extended its logistics network and has partnered with hundreds of local logistics service providers that will ensure easy delivery to all corners of Nigeria, including smaller towns and rural areas.

Listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in 2019, Jumia is the leading e-commerce company in Africa, operating in 11 countries. The Jumia platform consists of a marketplace, which connects sellers with consumers, a logistics service, which enables the shipment and delivery of packages from sellers to consumers, and a payment service, JumiaPay, which offers a safe and easy solution to facilitate online payment transactions.

The company offers goods across a broad range of categories, such as phones and electronics, home appliances, fast-moving consumer goods, fashion and beauty.