Federal Government To Change PHCN to EMS

The Federal Government on Tuesday inaugurated the management team of the Electricity Management Services Limited, a new company that will take over some non-core professional services of the Power Holding Company, which will soon to be declared defunct.

The Nigerian Electricity Power Sector Reform Act, 2005 provided for the EMS, which has been incorporated as a government-owned limited liability company under the Ministry of Power.

Inaugurating the management of the company in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, said the PHCN would be confirmed defunct in a few weeks after the declaration of the Nigerian electricity transition market.

He explained that the EMS would take over the responsibilities of some non-core professional and subsidiary services of the PHCN and its successor companies.

Nebo said, "The post privatisation challenges of the rapidly evolving private sector-led power industry cannot be overemphasised, hence the establishment of the EMS as a player in providing sector wide services.

"The importance of establishing the EMS is, therefore, informed by the need to have a professional and technical agency of government at this crucial stage of the power sector reform to close up the technical gaps, which might have been created.

"It must be able, after today, to provide the needed services to drive, support and sustain the emerging private sector-led electricity industry in Nigeria."

The mandate of the company, the minister added, included providing all needed ancillary and support services to the Nigerian electricity supply industry.

These services include engineering laboratory, meter test stations, central stores system as well as testing and certification of major electrical equipment.