TheCable

President Muhammadu Buhari says his government will restructure the power sector to optimise the operations of electricity distribution companies (DisCos).

The president, who was represented by Zainab Ahmed, minister of state for budget and national planning, said this at the end of the 23rd Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja on Thursday.

He said the review would effect changes in the ownership structures of DisCos such that operators who could not sustain their facilities, relinquish their stakes to capable investors.

The president said that negotiations would kick off with the restructuring of power generation companies, and then DisCos to ensure high service delivery.

In a plenary session at the start of the summit, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo had spoken against the call for the government to recapitalise the power sector.

He said that operators should transfer ownership to investors if they could not sustain their facilities.

Tony Elumelu, chairman of Heirs Holding and an operator in the power sector, made a call for the government to inject additional funds to the sector.

He said the government should increase its stakes up to 60% and then sell it to capable investors with money and expertise to turn the sector around.