Chiedu Ugbo: An Astute Administrator Takes a Bow

Peter Adobamen

Chiedu Ugbo was appointed the Managing Director/CEO of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) in an acting capacity in June 2016 and then confirmed in August by the Nigerian president, at a time of great challenges and high stakes in the power sector. He was in a long line of lead professionals who have worked assiduously, pursuing the attainment of credible power supply in Nigeria since electric power first came to Nigeria in 1898 when the first generating plant was installed by the British, the Public Works Department (PWD). After Ugbo’s first tenure, it was renewed for another four years in August 2020; serving eight fulfilled years at the height of Nigeria’s power industry.

The NDPHC under Ugbo took up new challenges as immediate opportunities for growth. The NPDHC, managing Nigeria’s National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP), the biggest power infrastructure by any single entity in Nigeria has kept Nigeria’s energy sector from total collapse. It was this multi-billion dollar energy asset with over 3,000MW of generation capacity availability for deployment if the grid permits that Ugbo steered assiduously for 8 full years.

A legal practitioner, but fondly referred to as an “Engineer” due to his astute knowledge of the power industry, Chiedu an Electric Energy Law specialist would continue on in selfless dedicational services despite cash flow and other challenges in the power sector, progressively improving operations and maintenance practices.

Chiedu Ugbo prior to his appointment was the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Power Privatization in the Office of the Vice President and was also the Acting Head of the Advisory Power Team in the Office of the Vice President; on becoming the MD of the NDPHC, he successfully balanced bureaucracy and the need for delivery, ensuring improved utilisation of the NIPP power plants despite the grid/network challenges that have seen many power plant capacities stranded. He brought in his extensive experience in the electricity industry reform, power project documentation and privatization having served as an embedded legal consultant to the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) where he participated actively in electric power reforms and in negotiating and concluding several successful privatization transactions. He had also acted as a counsel in the transaction advisory team to BPE where he actively contributed to and coordinated the legal work stream for the privatisation of the 20 successor electricity companies created out of the erstwhile public utility – The Power Holding Company of Nigeria Limited.

Ugbo’s incursion into the energy sector actually began in 1999 with a review of the Lagos Enron Independent Power Project (IPP), which later moved to AES, one of the world’s leading power companies. His foray into the energy sector in the last two decades has seen him break new grounds and achieve remarkable feats. In his 8 years at the NDPHC, Ugbo brought a lot of finesse and zeal to bear at a time the power sector is still facing a lot of challenges. He dared where others trembled, making innovative adventures. This has been the hallmark of his outstanding career, having worked in different challenging positions at different times of his career. His bravery and utmost dedication to his tasks are well documented and have brought outstanding progress and results everywhere he has worked. For someone who was used to the structured environment of the private sector, transitioning to the public service was, however, seamless for Ugbo. He was able to navigate the landmines of public service with aplomb and élan.

At the NPHDC, Chiedu, as he is simply called, became a shining light that has propelled phenomenal growth at the company; he was the driver of the many reforms and projects. NDPHC under Ugbo made invaluable marks in the generation, transmission and distribution value chains of the power sector. To him, when the rooster crowed at early dawn, it is the sign that it is time to get up to work for the general good. One of the few successful cross-over professionals, he was able to pioneer the bilateral and eligible contracting programme to ensure improved utilization and off take of NIPP power plants and prepare them for commercialization.

Chiedu holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree and a Master of Laws degree both from University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos. He also holds a Diploma in International Legal Practice from The College of Law of England and Wales; a Certificate in Electricity Industry Restructuring from Canadian Energy Research Institute, Calgary, Canada and a professional certification as Certified Regulation Specialist, from Institute for Public-Private Partnerships, Washington D.C., USA in conjunction with WEDC, Loughborough University UK.

He is an infrastructure regulation specialist with extensive experience in advising clients on electric power and gas-to-power, sea port and other transportation modes – including sector reforms, privatisation and commercialisation, concessions, project development and off-take agreements. His specialties include Electric Power and Gas, Infrastructure, M&A, Privatisation, Public-Private Partnerships.

Ugbo came ready to take on the challenges in the energy sector, lighting the lamp of hope for improved service delivery. With an almost unbelievable energy, when he had to act, he acted, in an industry with a predilection for service challenges. He would run the NDPHC for 8 years in a direct, hands-on manner, becoming a definitional figure in the energy sector. He hit the ground running; introduced international best practices, set clear his bearings and tried to avoid needless controversies and distractions. Like a ship sailing in dangerous waters, NDPHC took precautions, avoiding the unseen shoals and rocky reefs of quacks, racketeers and profiteers.

In the difficulties of the system and having to work under pressure, he could easily have developed a temper like a hurricane, whipping through the NDPHC, sacking, scaring and amazing workers but he largely exuded a peaceful calm.

The statistics of NIPP contributions to overall transmission system growth and reliability with improvements in transformation capacity, progressively increased under Ugbo as the balance of NIPP Transmission projects were delivered.

NDPHC, established in 2005 to increase the generation capacity of the nation, continued to play a critical role in the end-to-end infrastructure development in the sector through a super-grid network; to militate against frequent line trips; providing the critical reserve margins needed for frequency stability and deploying facility at strategic nodes of the network. In power generation, power plants in the NIPP portfolio, along with associated gas transmission metering/receiving infrastructure projects to support commercial operation, have been commissioned and connected to the national grid contributing over 22,000,000kWhr of energy daily subject to availability of gas. NDPHC has continued to operate these power plants in the interest of the Nigerian economy, despite undesirable challenges especially an accumulated debt owed it by the electricity market. NDPHC contribution represents about 30 per cent of power requirement in the grid. NPDHC actually has over 3,000 MW of generation capacity availability for deployment if the grid permits. Many of the NIPP power plants on the national grid also provide ancillary services like spinning reserve to support the system operations, a contribution critical for stabilizing the national grid from total collapse.

Magboro and its environs in Ogun state after 17 years of non-supply was in 2017 delivered electric power by the effort of the NDPHC under Ugbo. Then Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Raji Babatunde Fashola, SAN, at a Guardian Newspaper Power Summit in Lagos said “Let me tell you, Magboro have not had light in 17 years, the community has been connected now. The man who did it is here, Chiedu stand up for recognition, I think you need to applaud him, take a bow.”

Newly appointed Managing Director/CEO, of the NDPHC, Engr. Jennifer Adighije who took over the company’s management from Mr. Chiedu Ugbo, described her immediate predecessor as a man of uncommon leadership capabilities. Speaking during the handover ceremony, Adighije said, “today is a day to celebrate Mr. Chiedu Ugbo who is already whispering to me that he is eager to leave and we are eager to hit the ground running. Mr. Chiedu Ugbo took it upon himself to put me through, to mentor me, to guide me and to put me through his hand-over notes word for word, page by page. He has demonstrated uncommon leadership capabilities. Let me also assure you that you are not stepping away, you are only stepping aside because I will constantly be consulting you and I dare say before everyone in this hall that I will not let you down.”

Bowing out, Chiedu Ugbo said, “I would also like to thank each member of the senior management team and staff of NDPHC. Your unwavering support, dedication, and commitment have been instrumental in sustaining the company over the years. Together, we have navigated challenges and fostered a culture of collaboration. I take pride in what we have achieved as a team.”

Adobamen, a lawyer writes from Lagos