• Friday, March 29, 2024
businessday logo

BusinessDay

Anita Otubu, Head PMU, Nigeria Electrification Project (World Bank & African Development Bank funded) – REA

Anita

As a qualified lawyer and a certified project manager, Anita currently Heads the Programme Management Unit of the Nigerian Electrification Project (NEP), which aims to accelerate the private market for the development of mini grids and captive power plants as well as for the deployment of solar home systems for unserved and underserved homes, enterprises, educational and healthcare institutions.

Otubu was part of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA)’s management team that secured $350 million and $200 million loan facilities for the NEP’s implementation, from the World Bank and the African Development Bank respectively.

With over 10 years of professional experience in sectors including electric power, oil & gas and climate change, Anita’s professional journey has allowed her to make impact in different capacities at different times. She was previously the Head of Special Projects in the REA, providing programme management services to the development and implementation of the Energising Education Programme (with 3 commissioned/operational and 4 completed captive solar hybrid power plants ranging from 1MW to 8MW of total installed capacity, in Federal Universities across Nigeria).

She was also a former member of the Advisory Power Team (APT) in the Office of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a Technical Assistant (Legal) to a Minister of Power and her services have also been engaged by various local and international organisations.

Anita is also currently a Non-Executive Board Member of Chanja Datti Recycling company and co-heads the ‘NetBellas’ (Abuja Netball team).

Read Also: FG admits ‘cabals’ frustrating reforms in Nigeria’s power sector

On the current state of electricity across Nigeria especially in terms of access, she says we have about 80-85 million Nigerians or residents in Nigeria who lack access to reliable power supply, out of which 39.1 per cent of those that have access to power are rural dwellers.

“In addition, when it comes to our power demands, it is estimated at about 17,520 megawatts meanwhile, we have just about 12,522 megawatts of total capacity of which 6,800 megawatts is being generated, and unfortunately only about 3,800 megawatts is being distributed however, the Federal government of Nigeria has taken significant steps towards addressing this issue, through various initiatives that seeks to provide support to the main grid through our off grid electrification initiatives.” She stated.

She further revealed that before the federal government was able to embark on these initiatives towards bridging this energy access gap, they had to ensure that the legal frame work and the enabling environment was there, adding that the major law that was out in place was the electric power sector reform act of 2005, which privatised the sector and allowed for private sector participation in generating and distributing power to Nigerians.