A New Level of Power: NDPHC to Leverage Technology, Human Capital for Growth

By Keem Abdul

It is no longer debatable that the world of the future (a future that is already upon us, whether we like it or not) is being increasingly defined by technology. With every passing day, new (and potentially disruptive) technologies are creating new paradigms of work as well as influencing the way we live, the way we interact with one another, and even the way we think. Technology has, over the years, had a greater impact than perhaps any other single factor on not just our standard of living, but also on our quality of life.

This is why any organization or entity that fails (or refuses, for some reason) to leverage on technology in its operations, or as an integral part of its business culture, risks being left behind and eventually dwindling into irrelevance in what is fast becoming a highly competitive marketplace – especially in key sectors of the economy.

From all indications, that is NOT the fate the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) envisages for itself – whether in the short, medium or long term – which is why the company has of late been very intentional about leveraging on technology as well as human capital to drive the next phase of its growth and evolution, in its quest to achieve a more profitable engagement with the people, communities and interests it serves.

This new pivot was disclosed by Engr. Jennifer Adighije, the company’s new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, during the formal handover ceremony in Abuja this last Monday. Apart from leveraging on technology and human capital as the twin powerhouses of sustainable growth and positive change, this new pivot, Adighije explained, was in line with her vision for the company, which is first of all about the optimization of both asset performance and processes, in order to ensure increased revenues and greater financial capacity.

Recall that a few days back, Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, approved the appointment of Adighije along with other Executive Directors of the NDPHC, in place of the erstwhile MD/CEO, Engr. Chiedu Ugbo and his team. The change of baton at the top of the NDPHC’s management echelon marks a new dawn in the life of an organisation which is building the infrastructure to tackle the perennial power deficit in Nigeria. With 10 power plant projects scattered all over the country, the NDPHC is actively building long-lasting infrastructure to tackle the issues of power generation and distribution in Nigeria, in collaboration with players in both the public and private sectors. Recall that the NDPHC was incorporated under the Companies and Allied Matters Act as a private limited liability company with shareholding fully subscribed to by the federal, state and local governments, and armed with a mandate to manage said power projects collectively known as the ‘National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP)’.

The NDPHC’s assignment, as the legal vehicle created to intervene in the power sector through direct provision of infrastructure facilities, has seen it provide generation, evacuation and distribution facilities to aid the process of stabilising the power supply value-chain. In the process of carrying out its mandate, the NDPHC has so far invested about $4.5 billion in the construction an maintenance of ten gas-fired power plants of varying capacities, and in various stages of completion, situated close to fuel sources in the N/Delta region in the following locations: Alaoji, Abia State; Benin, Edo State; Calabar, Cross River State; Egbema, Imo State; Gbarain, Bayelsa State; Geregu, Kogi State, Ogorode (Sapele), Delta State; Olorunsogo, Ogun State; Omoku, Rivers State; and Omotosho, Ondo State.

Gven the fact that the power supply deficit, which the NDPHC was created to confront, is still a reality (and a corrosively painful one at that, in spite of its best efforts over the years), the focus on tech-based operations as well as the deployment of the best human talent might just be the panacea the company has been missing over the years. This undertaking is one for which the new MD/CEO is uniquely qualified. Though she comes to the job with little or no specific experience in the power sector, Engr. Adighije is nevertheless an experienced and grounded professional with vast competencies across management functions in the private and public sectors. The holder of a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical/Electronics Engineering from the University of Lagos, Nigeria, and a Master’s degree in Wireless Networks and Telecommunications from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) in the United Kingdom, she has, prior to her present appointment, served as a Senior Special Assistant to President Tinubu – after a long spell in the corporate sector.

As a former Governor-turned-Minister once said, the solution to Nigeria’s power challenges is ‘not rocket science’. The sector has, however, defied all solutions (coupled with humongous amounts of money in the form of subsidies, subventions and investments) thrown at it over the years, not for want of trying, but because, more often than not, there has been a conspicuous lack of political will and an unfortunate recourse to the same old methods, and the same old operational playbook, while expecting different results each time. Far from providing an alternative to the failure of its parent company, the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), the Niger Delta Power Holding Company has, in many respects, become its victim instead.

But from all indications, Engr. Adighije’s head is in the right place as far as the quest for innovative and far-reaching solutions to Nigeria’s hydra-headed power challenge is concerned. Clearly, a laser-like focus on technology (rather than tradition) and the deployment of well-placed human talent and creative ingenuity to drive the operstional paradigm she has in mind is the way to go.

The demands of the 21st century economy – in which Nigeria has the potential to play a major part – require no less.