The Federal Government has said that various underlying challenges with its projection of growth in the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) informed its decision to review its almost two-year-old roadmap on power sector reform programme.

These challenges, it said mostly bothered on technical issues of efficient project planning and timely project delivery particularly in the transmission aspect of the electricity supply chain.

Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, at the recent two-day technical session on the review of milestones in the roadmap, organised by the Presidential Task Force on Power (PTFP), stated that the 2010 version of the roadmap, which was developed by his predecessor, Prof. Bart Nnaji, had performed creditably well in repositioning the sector, but needed to be reviewed to meet up with existing challenges in the industry.

Nebo who disclosed government's concerns about the seeming discouraging operational practices of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) explained that the review would also provide government with accurate data with which it will use in the management of TCN.

He said: "I welcome this initiative to review and revise the original roadmap developed in 2010 as this will produce data which are more consistent with the current and future challenges ahead. I recognise that this is a very technical assignment and I enjoin you all to put in your very best in order to bring out a power sector document worthy of attracting the much needed local and international acceptance as well as participation by investors."

The minister further noted: "The PTFP is indeed a proven technical resource to the sector and the present administration intends to fully utilise it to foster rapid development in the sector as well as tackle most of the technical challenges, especially in efficient project planning, timely project delivery, facilitating process coordination between sector entities and generally the provision of validated performance metrics for the power reform agenda.

He expressed optimism that with the commitment and dedication of all the stakeholders, the concerted effort would produce an impressive sector guiding tool.

Chairman of PTFP, Beks Dagogo-Jack, who also staked claims for the review of the sector roadmap, stated that the policy document had got clear timelines for deliverables and milestones that had been accomplished in the sector so far.

He said: "The 2010 version of the roadmap which was developed by renowned former Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, has performed creditably well, nevertheless, there is a clear need to revalidate the projections that are in that version to bring out a revised edition which incorporates current realities and new underlined imperatives for future projections; this is the purpose of this technical assembly."