Nigerians spend N1.6 trillion on generators annually

The Director-General of Centre for
Management Development, Kabir Usman
has disclosed that about 60 million
Nigerians spend N1.6 trillion on generators
annually.
He also said that Nigeria had the highest
number of standby generators, which had
become permanent, making the Power Holding
Company of Nigeria (PHCN) the standby.
Mr Usman disclosed this at the launch of the
National Power Training Institute of Nigeria
(NAPTIN) graduate skills development
programme in Abuja, on Monday.
He noted that the presence of too many
generators has also been the cause of many
deaths in the nation as a result of carbon
monoxide emission.
“Still on the use of generating sets as
alternative sources of electricity, it is no news
that irregular power supply has adversely
affected businesses in Nigeria,” he said.
Mr Usman revealed that Nigeria’s highly
inadequate supply of electricity adds 40 percent
to the cost of goods produced in the country.
According to him, “the situation has compelled
many industries to either shut down or relocate
to neighbouring countries.”
He said that the poorest Nigerians paid more
than N80/kwh burning candles, kerosene and
firewood while manufacturers paid between
N45 and N60/kwh on diesel to run their
generators.