*As Danbatta headlines breakout session for Startups on WorldStage

 

By Ngozi Onyeakusi— new date of November 16, 2023 has been announced for the WorldStage Economic Summit (WES) at the Event Centre, Nigerian Exchange Limited, 2/4 Customs Street, Lagos by 9.00 AM.

The summit with the theme ‘National Dialogue on Electricity’ will attract stakeholders in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) which are the Federal Ministry of Power, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Electricity Generation Companies (GenCos), Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN); Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos); Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc; Gas Aggregator Company of Nigeria; Nigerian Electricity Management Service Agency (NEMSA), consumers among others.

Mr Segun Adeleye, President/CEO, World Stage Limited, the organizers of the summit in a statement said the new date was important to ensure the participation of the newly appointed Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Mr  Ekperikpe Ekpo who are major stakeholders in the electricity business.

He confirmed that there will be a special breakout session of the summit tagged Startups on WorldStage  with the Theme: ‘The Game Changers’ which will attract the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta as Guest of Honour to present a key note address; Mr. Tim Akano, CEO, New Horizons Nigeria; Mr. John Tani Obaro, Group Managing Director (GMD), SystemSpecs Holdings, Nigeria among others.

Stakeholders in the Nigerian economy have been taking stock of the recently signed Nigeria Electricity Act 2023 by President Bola Tinubu with the hope that it will address the multifarious challenges across the electric power sector.

The National Dialogue on Electricity is coming at a time when the NERC is actively engaging the 11 successor DisCos on their request for tariff review, as many consumers are alleging extortive practice of estimated/arbitrary billing while calling for an effective metering plan and fair deal.

The World Stage boss said the issues in the power sector are inexhaustible going by the frustration of the operators and the concerns of consumers including manufacturers that put their annual economic loss to epileptic power supply at about N10.1 trillion or two per cent share of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He said while the electricity industry is characterized by huge supply-gap due to dilapidated power infrastructure and poor distributions networks, the new electricity act could be the game changer moreso when the federal government has affirmed to treat adequate energy as a topmost national economic priority.

Adeleye said the  dialogue will be open and frank for all stakeholders in the economy to deliberate on issues such as Meeting Power Transmission Needs; A sustainable electricity pool; Enforcing Technical Standard & Regulation, Inspection, Testing and Certification; Meeting the Nation’s needs across entire spectrum of energy value chain; Maintaining balance in gas supply for power generation; Meeting the Electricity Transmission Needs, The renewable energy option; An enabling environment for power generation; Sustainable tariff for electricity supply; Sustainable power supply with PPP; Achieving Energy Sufficiency With Equitable Local Content; Consumer protection; Attracting the right investments to the electricity sector, among others.

The WorldStage Economic Summit is conceived to address economic challenges through diagnoses and application of practicable solutions with public and private sector engagement in a research and innovation driven platform to inspire new thinking in business initiative, policy formulation/implementation, economic reform and development.

WES 2023 is the 11th in the series of conferences by WorlStage while enquiries for participation can be made through worldstage2004@gmail.com.