Improving Electricity Access in Nigeria: Obstacles and the Way Forward

Abstract

Access to electricity is vital for economic development. Developing countries around the world have made various effort to improve electrcity access. In order to improve electrcity access, the obstacles need to be properly identified. Nigeria’s electrcity access have been low for a very long time with no improvement in sight. This paper examined the obstacles hindering the improvement of electricity access in Nigeria. The obstacles identified includes; low efficiency and performance, security of fuel source for power generation, data inadequacy, regulatory barriers, lack of institutional arrangement, poor grid structure, delapidated transmission and distribution network, low financial investment, lack of policy and project continuity. A way forward was presented in order to improve electricity access in Nigeria.

Keywords

• Nigeria, Electricity access, Efficiency and performance, Grid structure, Energy Security.