The Managing Director/CEO of Kaduna Electric, Dr Umar Abubakar Hashidu has described the unbundling of the nation’s electricity market as a welcome development, calling on state governments to leverage the provisions of the Electricity Act 2023 to come up with investors friendly framework for their States’ electricity market.
Dr Umar Hashidu, who made the call in Kaduna today when he granted audience to members of the Kano State Energy Policy Committee, said the Management of Kaduna Electric shared in the vision and aspirations of the Kano State Government aimed at driving industrial growth.
According to him, “the change in regulation that allows States to create their electricity market and regulate distribution licencees in their jurisdiction makes state governments critical Stakeholders and important players in the market; as owners, regulators and enablers of business, the role of States governments in the present dispensation cannot be over-emphasized”.
He assured members of the Committee that the Kaduna Electric team shall provide them with all necessary data, technical guidance, and recommendations to enable them to accomplish their assignment.
Dr. Umar Hashidu also called on the Kano State Government to create gas-based industrial hubs to further accelerate the State government’s re-industrialization program.
Earlier in his remark, the leader of the team who is also the Managing Director/CEO of Kano State Hydro Electricity and Energy Distribution Company, Engr. Ado Abdullahi said the State government constituted the Energy Policy Committee to study both the operational and regulatory environment so as to come-up with a comprehensive energy policy for the State.
He said the Committee is consulting all relevant Stakeholders within and outside the region so as to develop an investor-friendly energy policy and comprehensive legal framework for the state electricity market.
The high point of the visit was a technical session where various issues and challenges bedeviling the sector were extensively discussed and far-reaching recommendations were offered.