Nigeria might proceed to dwell in darkness if authorities controls electrical energy – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has warned that Nigeria might proceed to dwell in darkness if authorities refuses to go away the electrical energy enterprise in non-public arms.

Obasanjo gave the warning on Tuesday on the Youth Governance Dialogue, with the theme “African Youth and Renaissance”, held on the Youth Development Centre contained in the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

He stated the nation has wasted too a few years ready for presidency to repair energy, and the consequence continues to be the identical: poor provide, frequent collapse and hundreds of thousands of Nigerians relying on turbines.

According to the previous President, the one method Nigeria can get steady electrical energy is to repeat what labored for telecoms.

He recalled how authorities struggled with phone companies for years till the sector was opened up. Once non-public corporations got here in, the story modified utterly.

“Government has tried, just like government tried with telecommunications, until we put it in the hands of the private sector, we didn’t solve it,” Obasanjo stated.

“And I believe that until we put energy in the hands of the private sector, we won’t solve it,” he added.

Obasanjo stated energy is the spine of any severe economic system. Without it, companies can’t develop, industries can’t produce and jobs can’t be created.

He stated he isn’t joyful that in spite of everything these years of guarantees and reforms, Nigeria continues to be struggling to maintain the lights on.

According to him, authorities has no enterprise holding on to the ability sector. The extra authorities stays in management, the longer Nigerians will look forward to enchancment.

He due to this fact requested the authorities to provide non-public operators an even bigger function and permit them to drive the sector the best way they did with telecoms.

Obasanjo additionally instructed the youths on the occasion to cease ready for presidency. He stated younger Nigerians with recent concepts in enterprise and expertise might help discover options to the ability drawback in the event that they put their concepts to work.