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NDPHC, PHEDC Join Forces To Boost Power Supply In Calabar

Published

5 years ago

August 17, 2020

… Resolved Power Transmission Bottlenecks

Editor

Niger Delta Power Holding Company NDPHC and Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company PHEDC have concluded plans to boost power supply to customers in Calabar and its environs by December 2020.

The upgrade in supply from 45megawatts presently serving the metropolis and its environs will be achieved by evacuating an additional 100 megawatts of electricity from the 625 megawatts capacity power plant at Ikot Nyong in Odukpani LGA to make it 145 megawatts in a bid to make the City smarter and boost industrialization in the state.

This was made disclosed during the visit of the Minister of State for Power, Mr. Goddy Jedy Agba on a supervising tour of the Power plant at Ikot Nyong.

The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company NDPHC, Chiedu Ugbo, and his counterpart in the PHEDC, Henry Ajagbawa who was represented by his deputy, Kingsley Achife in the company led the Minister of State on a tour of the plant.

They revealed that the planned evacuation of the 100 megawatts to serve customers in Calabar and its environs will require the improvement of the power lines in the area as well as getting smart meters across to every customer in the metropolis and beyond.

Speaking at the Plant, the Minister of State for Power said he was satisfied with what he has seen on the ground and as a government, his office has been working with the NDPHC and PHEDC to achieve the ultimate goal of having a steady power supply to homes which will not only boost the standard of living but lead to massive growth and development as it directly supports industrialization.

According to Agba: “With what I have seen, everything seems to be working well, there is gas and the machines are working well and there is hope at the end of the tunnel.

But what we want to see is that by the end of this year there should be a more steady and reliable supply of light in Calabar.’ “Another good thing is that the federal government has approved that smart meters should be brought into the country free of any charge of a tariff.

For years meters had been in the port because of a tariff. “Now the government has deregularise that and the meters are brought for free.

So in a short while, people will have meters to know what they consume and pay for the same. In six months from now, there should be a noticeable improvement both in supply and in metering.

The government is committed to its duty for the provision of social services and we want to see this go through”, the Minister said.

Also speaking, the Managing Director of PHEDC represented by his deputy, Kingsley Achife, explained that the company has signed a PPA (Power Purchase Agreement) with the Niger Delta Electricity Holding Company to take as much as 100 megawatts from the plant to service the customers in Calabar and its environs.

In his words:” Right now we are working on the various networks bottlenecks along the supply lines to ensure that customers in Calabar get a better experience in terms of power supply. “we are looking at the next six months.

In fact, by the end of the year, we should be able to achieve the first phase, we want to make Calabar a smart city.

“One of the messages we want to get out there is that the power business requires money to operate and we hope that people will pay their bills and not shortchange the companies and hence short change all of us as Nigerians. Metering is part of the project and we are targeting 100% metering.”

The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, NDPHC, Chiedu Ugbo noted that the power plant at Ikot Nyong is functioning at full capacity and it has been sending out power to the National grid. “Right now out of the 625 megawatts we are doing about 200.

That is because the pipeline is being maintained by both ACCU Gas and the NDPHC. “We are doing what is called pigging – a routine periodic cleaning of the gas pipeline.

So that all impurities along the lines can be removed and pure gas can be gotten into the turbines,” he said.

He stated that the Power plant is functioning optimally and the rates are low in terms of cost that goes to the end-user adding that the cost won’t be much for the customers at the end of the day because it was a win-win situation for all both investors and customers.

Culled from AljazirahNigeria

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NELFUND: The Renewed Hope Engine Propelling Nigeria’s Youth into Tomorrow

Published

3 days ago

November 28, 2025

The Gleamer

By Dayo Israel, National Youth Leader, APC

As the National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress, I have spent most of my tenure fighting for a Nigeria where every young person, regardless of their ward or local government, family income, or circumstance, can chase dreams without the chains of financial despair.

Today, that fight feels like victory, thanks to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). Launched as a cornerstone of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, this initiative isn’t just a policy tweak; it’s a revolution. And under the steady, visionary hand of Managing Director Akintunde Sawyerr, NELFUND has transformed from a bold promise into a roaring engine of opportunity, disbursing over ₦116 billion to more than 396,000 students and shattering barriers for over a million applicants.

Let’s be clear: NELFUND was always destined to be a game-changer. Signed into law by President Tinubu on April 3, 2024, it repealed the outdated 2023 Student Loan Act, replacing it with a modern, inclusive framework that covers tuition, upkeep allowances, and even vocational training—ensuring no Nigerian youth is left on the sidelines of progress.

But what elevates it from groundbreaking to generational? Leadership. Enter Akintunde Sawyerr, the diplomat-turned-executioner whose career reads like a blueprint for results-driven governance. From co-founding the Agricultural Fresh Produce Growers and Exporters Association of Nigeria (AFGEAN) in 2012—backed by icons like former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr. Akinwumi Adesina—to steering global logistics at DHL across 21 countries, Sawyerr brings a rare alchemy: strategic foresight fused with unyielding accountability.

As NELFUND’s pioneer MD, he’s turned a fledgling fund into a finely tuned machine, processing over 1 million applications since May 2024 and disbursing ₦116 billion—₦61.33 billion in institutional fees and ₦46.35 billion in upkeep—to students in 231 tertiary institutions nationwide. That’s not bureaucracy; that’s brilliance.

Sawyerr’s touch is everywhere in NELFUND’s ascent. Since the portal’s launch, he’s overseen a digital ecosystem that’s as transparent as it is efficient—seamless verification, BVN-linked tracking, and real-time dashboards that have quashed misinformation and built trust. In just 18 months, the fund has empowered 396,252 students with interest-free loans, many first-generation learners who might otherwise have dropped out.

Sensitization drives in places like Ekiti and Ogun have spiked applications — 12,000 in a single day in one instance, while expansions to vocational centers in Enugu pilot the next wave of skills-based funding. And amid challenges like data mismatches and fee hikes, Sawyerr’s team has iterated relentlessly: aligning disbursements with academic calendars, resuming backlogged upkeep payments for over 3,600 students, and even probing institutional compliance to safeguard every kobo. This isn’t management; it’s mastery—a man who doesn’t just lead but launches futures.

Yet, none of this happens in a vacuum. President Tinubu’s alliance with trailblazers like Sawyerr is the secret sauce securing Nigeria’s tomorrow. The President’s Renewed Hope Agenda isn’t rhetoric; it’s resources—₦100 billion seed capital channeled into a system that prioritizes equity over elitism. Together, they’ve forged a partnership where vision meets velocity: Tinubu’s bold repeal of barriers meets Sawyerr’s boots-on-the-ground execution, turning abstract policy into tangible triumphs. It’s a synergy that’s non-discriminatory by design—Christians, Muslims, every tribe and tongue united in access—fostering national cohesion through classrooms, not courtrooms.

As Sawyerr himself notes, this is “visionary leadership” in action, where the President’s political will ignites reforms that ripple across generations.

Why does this matter to us, Nigeria’s youth? Because NELFUND isn’t handing out handouts—it’s handing out horizons. In a country where 53% of us grapple with unemployment, these loans aren’t just funds; they’re fuel for innovation, entrepreneurship, and endurance.

Picture it: A first-generation polytechnic student in Maiduguri, once sidelined by fees, now graduates debt-free (repayments start two years post-NYSC, employer-deducted for ease) and launches a tech startup. Or a vocational trainee in Enugu, equipped with skills funding, revolutionizing local agriculture. This is quality education that endures—not fleeting certificates, but lifelong launchpads. Sawyerr’s focus on human-centered design ensures loans cover not just books, but bread—upkeep stipends of ₦20,000 monthly keeping hunger at bay so minds can soar. Under his watch, NELFUND has debunked doubts, refuted fraud claims, and delivered results that scream sustainability: Over ₦99.5 billion to 510,000 students by September, with 228 institutions on board.

As youth leaders, we see NELFUND for what it is: A covenant with our future. President Tinubu and MD Sawyerr aren’t just allies; they’re architects of an educated, empowered Nigeria—one where poverty’s grip loosens with every approved application, and innovation blooms from every funded desk. This isn’t charity; it’s an investment in the 70 million of us who will lead tomorrow.

We’ve crossed one million applications not because of luck, but leadership—a duo that’s turning “access denied” into “future unlocked.”

To President Tinubu: Thank you for daring to dream big and backing it with action.

To Akintunde Sawyerr: You’re the executor we needed, proving that one steady hand can steady a nation.

And to every Nigerian youth: Apply. Graduate. Conquer.

Because with NELFUND, your generation isn’t just surviving—it’s thriving, enduring, and eternal.

The Renewed Hope isn’t a slogan; it’s our story, now written in scholarships and success. Let’s keep turning the page.

Dayo Israel is the National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

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