Gov Eno’s Vision to Power Up Akwa Ibom: Stirring Hope

Gov Eno’s Vision to Power Up Akwa Ibom: Stirring Hope

By Otobong Sampson

About eight years ago, a business I had put in a little over three million naira to establish, with so much enthusiasm, packed up barely fifteen months after. The reason? Terrible electricity supply and the costs of fueling two generators every day. It was a business that needed steady power from the minute workers resumed for the day until when they were shutting down. That was between 9-10 hours every day. The location was at Nepaline, Uyo. Between these hours, I had to power a generator non-stop to keep activities running if I didn’t want us to appear unprepared for business, thereby losing the confidence of our new customers and the public.

In a week, the Power Distributing Company could only ration about 60 minutes supply during business hours, and the days weren’t more than two or three. It was so frustrating that most of us who tenanted the property and within, disconnected ourselves from the company’s power source to mitigate expenditures.

As far as we were concerned, it was corporate exploitation to continue paying exorbitant estimated charges for near-zero service. That we even lasted that long in business, under very suffocating condition, before eventually closing shop was down to our tenacity; and more honestly — because we could plug the gaps from some other source while we hoped for change in fortunes.

Now, imagine Mr. Edet in the hinterland of Ibam Edet in Ini Local Government Area who operates a laundry shop as his sole source of income and has to depend on supply from a power company that is never reliable. Or a young Miss Alice in Urue Offong town who has to rely on her small generator often times at 900-1000 naira per litre cost of fuel to satisfy her hair dressing customers. This and other challenges are responsible for both the dearth and death of many small businesses. Also imagine an Akwa Ibom State where communities including the interiors are not only electrified but also enjoy between 20-22 hour power supply every day. Imagine the boom in economic endeavours, imagine the leap in commercial activities.

It is from these scenarios that the Akwa Ibom State Electricity Summit 2025 coming up next week should be seen beyond the prism of a talk show. With the unbundling and decentralization of the power sector by the Federal Government through the new Electricity Act 2023, and the failure of the state power plant to perform optimally, it should be regarded as a necessary first step in the right direction. Repositioning the State Power Plant for premium performance and investments in other key power infrastructure will be at the core.

About two years after a constitutional amendment that allows states to generate, transmit and distribute electricity within their jurisdiction, the impact of this reform is yet to be felt nationally. This is where the Akwa Ibom State Government under the leadership of Governor Umo Eno is taking the lead. Just as we are making a bold mark in the aviation industry as a state with Ibom Air, the possibility of replicating this success in the power sector winks seductively at us. For his bold vision here and for matching it with commitment, the Governor deserves applause.

Only days ago, the Governor while signing an MoU with REA, made it known that the State is now moving “from policy formulation to practical implementation and delivery of electricity solutions that will transform lives and power industries”. There is no doubt about his words as the State last year delivered the Akwa Ibom State Electricity Policy (2024), and this year, enacted the Electricity Law (2025). These are critical steps towards securing the energy future of the state. It is safe to say that going forward, Akwa Ibom’s energy sector now stands at the cusp of a transformative era.

The forthcoming Summit promises real hope in the search for solution to Akwa Ibom’s power challenges. It will seek to unlock private investments, build meaningful partnerships, and welcome sustainable cooperation. It is a sector so critical to the success of the ARISE Agenda, as well as the state’s economic growth, hence the governor’s obvious passion in making a difference there. Governor Eno has declared a state of emergency in the health sector, he is big on tourism, and passionate about agriculture and rural development. It is the availability of stable and affordable electricity that will solidify the progresses in these and other sectors.

Reliable electricity supply will transform our landscape: factories will return and new ones will birth, jobs will be created, new opportunities will spring up for local talents and even the rural economies will be stimulated. According to studies, energy-related constraints cost Nigeria between 5% – 7% of its GDP. This equals about 25 – 29 billion US dollars annually.

After the Summit, Akwa Ibom people will become even more hopeful that under the focused leadership of Governor Eno, the promise of decentralization will begin to bear fruits in Akwa Ibom State to boost productivity and industrial growth.

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