The Effect of Control Measures in the Power Sector Reforms on Electricity Development in Nigeria

This work examined the effect of the control measures available for project evaluation and monitoring in power sector reforms on electricity development in Nigeria. Electric power reforms are necessary for private sector participation in electricity development in Nigeria in order to break monopoly in that sector of the economy. In the course of this study, we employed fairly closed-ended and few open-ended questionnaire as research instrument. Also, data were gotten through personal interview with top management staff of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) at Corporate Headquarters, Enugu. While secondary data were collected from in-house News journal (NEPA Profile), Journal articles, Publications on national Newspapers and Magazines. Data collected from both primary and secondary sources were analysed using the spearman Rank correlation co-efficient, percentages, frequency tables, and Chi-square. We postulated three hypotheses and the results of the test revealed that there is positive and significant relationship between internal control measures in power sector reforms and electricity generation and distribution on one hand and efficient and effective project evaluation and monitoring on another hand. Our finding also revealed that there are internal control measures available for management in the power sector but political office holders normally compel the staff to ignore such control. We therefore recommend that investors should make fund available for generation and distribution companies to enable them complete on-going projects in order to enhance power supply in the country. There should be effective monitoring and evaluation of projects by ensuring that oversight function of the National Assembly is operational without executive interference. Government should not protect any public office holder found diverting project funds. This study contributes to knowledge gap on the challenges of electricity development in Nigeria. It is of worthy to note that electricity is the drivers of all sectors of the economy and as such all users of electricity and government stand to benefit from this work. The importance of the study cannot be over emphasized. We would be able to ascertain from this study the problem associated with electricity development in Nigeria. This study apart from providing solution to power outage that affects the households, the firms and government, would assist further researches in the related areas of the study.