Professor James Momoh, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), has disclosed that the inability of the country to provide uninterrupted access to electricity to all citizens in line with the recommendation of the United Nation Advisory group on Energy and Climate Change has affected the economic opportunities for the poorest to escape poverty.

Momoh, stated this recently at the official lunch of Foluseke Abidemi Somolu Foundation at the University of Lagos, while delivering a lecture titled: ‘The Nigerian Power supply Question: Challenges and Solutions’ in Lagos.

Momoh said about 1.2 billion people or 17 per cent of the global population had no access to electricity, with 50 per cent of these countries in sub-Saharan Africa. This, he said was one of the reasons why it is impossible to provide adequate health services, schools, clean water, food security and industries to their people.

He reiterated the need to have a clear strategy and a define manpower required to carter for the 96 million people without access to electricity.