FG Introduces Digital Platform to Tackle Electricity Challenges

FG Introduces Digital Platform to Tackle Electricity Challenges

TECH DIGEST – The Federal Ministry of Power has launched the Central Data Management System (CDMS), a digital platform of the Nigeria Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) that monitors power networks across the country.

The online platform, CDMS aims to offer the most accurate data and latest tools that empower data-driven electrification planning under the domain nigeriase4all.gov.ng.

In his address at the virtual launch of the platform on Tuesday, the Minister of Power, Engr. Sale Mamman, said, “This initiative is part of our efforts to digitize the Nigerian power sector using new innovative digital technologies and processes that will help address many of the key challenges that our power sector is facing today.

“It is very remarkable to note that within just one year of starting the CDMS project, the following primary data has been gathered, classified and stored on the Nigeria SE4All web portal being launch today,” Engr. Mamman noted.

Mamman said the platform has a satellite mapping of 350,000 settlement clusters; over 3,000 settlement clusters remotely mapped with over 2,600,000 buildings identified; about 50,000 kilometres of 33 kilovolts (kV) and 11kV power distribution lines being tracked across 21 States and the FCT.

The minister informed that the CDMS also remotely monitors mini-grids nationwide to digitally assess their performance, using Application Programming Interface (API).

He noted that the platform’s launch is to drive President Muhammadu Buhari’s Electricity Vision 30:30:30, a target to deliver 30,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity by 2030 with at least 30 per cent coming from renewable energy.

The platform is supported by the European Union (EU) and the German Government and was conducted in the framework of the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP), a technical assistance programme, co-funded by the EU and the Germany, while the German agency, GIZ and the Federal Ministry of Power are implementing.

The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr Chinyeaka Christian Ohaa, who  noted that the platform promotes transparency and accountability in the power sector, urged private sector and other stakeholders to key into this maiden initiative of the power industry.

The Head of Cooperation, European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Kurt Cornelis, said, “This CDMS will provide the government, investors and project developers with accurate data for market intelligence and planning needed to achieve Nigeria’s SDG7 goal.”

The Country Director of GIZ in Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ina Hommers, remarked that in order to promote electricity access through public-private initiative, there was need for available data: “with the support of NESP in close cooperation with FMP and agencies across the sector, we have now mapped out the electricity situation in 22 states in Nigeria,” she said.