According to a news report from LEADERSHIP, a pro-democracy group, Kwara Must Change, has urged the Kwara State government to aspire to be the first state in Nigeria to achieve 100 percent electricity access.

The group highlighted that amidst efforts to transform Ilorin into a smart city, aiming for full electricity access within the next three years would signify readiness for development and industrialisation.

Abdulrazaq Hamzat, the convener of the group, emphasised that apart from Lagos, which is close to achieving full access, no other state in Nigeria has achieved 100 percent electricity coverage. Currently, Lagos stands at 99.3 percent, while Kwara ranks among the top three states with 90.6 percent access.

“Kwara State is also in the forefront, due to consistent efforts of the government over the years, but it can do more to expand electricity access and complete the task once and for all and move to other value chains of electricity, including energy equity and security, “ he said.

Explaining the possibility of the task, Hamzat said,” In November 1920, Vladimir Lenin, leader of the then Soviet Union (Russia) issued a slogan identifying electricity as the only remaining step in Russia's development, making access to electricity a major target for the country and within the five years, the entire Russia federation had electricity access, allowing them to concentrate on other aspect of power generation as part of its broad 10 years plan.

“Similarly, in 2015, China successfully connected its 1.4 billion population to electricity access.”

Hamzat added that, in both Russia and China's efforts to electricity access, three things are key: embedding electricity access as part of the development plan, articulating the mission appropriately to all stakeholders, at all levels, and making it the cornerstone of assessing progress and ensuring the right technology mix, especially at the rural areas.

“Achieving 100 percent electricity access will open a new chapter in our quest for energy security and will go a long way in attracting investors,” he added.