Power institute expresses commitment to eradicating energy poverty

By Constance Athekame

Abuja, June 26, 2025 The Chartered Institute of Power Engineers of Nigeria (CIPEN) says it is working assiduously with stakeholders in the power industry to eradicate energy poverty from the country.

Mr Israel Abraham, President and Chairman in Council, CIPEN, said this in Abuja on Thursday while briefing newsmen to commemorate the institute’s 2nd anniversary.

Abraham said that as a regulator and a professional, the institute would not relent until energy sufficiency was achieved.

“I urge all major stakeholders in the power sector to partner with CIPEN in transforming the power engineering landscape.

“They can do this instilling a sense of sanctity, foster professionalism, eradicate mediocrity in Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).

“This is necessary for driving sectorial performance and ultimately gives birth to a thriving power industry that will exceed the expectations of all Nigerians.

“This shared goal of a thriving power industry is a vision and also a commitment that we are ready to work tirelessly towards, and we believe that with your support, we can make it a reality, ‘’ he said.

Abraham said that as part of CIPEN’s mandate, the institute had stratified power engineering into various categories to deepen professionalism at every level.

He said that CIPEN introduced mandatory learning programmes that culminate in professional licenses for all power systems engineers and allied professional categories.

“These programmes aim to assess and validate the competence of professionals, infusing professional ethics and conduct, ensuring they meet required standards for practice in Nigeria.

“By introducing programmes, we aim to enhance the credibility and reputation of power engineers in Nigeria, improve the overall quality of service delivery in the industry and boost public confidence in the power sector, ‘’ he said.

Abraham also said that the Act establishing CIPEN mandates it to ensure robust synergy between the industry and academia for constructive collaboration.

According to him, this collaborative approach is not just a requirement but a crucial strategy geared towards fostering shared responsibility, research and development, innovations, workforce professional development and teaching of power engineering in Nigerian tertiary institutions.

“For the sustainable development of power engineering professionals for the ultimate and steady growth of the Nigerian power industry,” he said.

The president however urged the media to collaborate with the institute to achieve its mandate and deliver a reliable power supply to Nigeria citizens.

Speaking on the electricity tariff, CIPEN’s Vice President, Power Business, Ahmad Kaitafi, said that a cost-reflective tariff was necessary to attract more investors into the industry.

He said that proper engagement with all stakeholders in the power sector was necessary for better understanding when discussing the issue of electricity tariff.

“The real thing is that we need a cost-reflective tariff, this maybe higher but it will ensure investment into the power sector so that customers can have reliable power supply.

“The only way we can get adequate and reliable power supply is through investment since we are already privatised, we need the private sector to come in.

“If we do not have them the sector can not develop, ‘’he said.

He said that a cost-effective tariff would allow the investor to recover his investment and also make the necessary profit as approved by the regulator.

Kaitafi said that everyone could not afford that kind of tariff.

“The issue of subsidy now comes in; there is no country that does not subsidise services one way or the other.

“When you introduce cost-effective tariff, you also introduce what we call targeted subsidy for the low-income earners and in this way the country will have a reliable power supply.