David Ogbebor

The establishment of the Ossiomo Power Plant under former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki was a strategic intervention aimed at addressing electricity challenges, reducing dependence on the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) and providing reliable power for government facilities, businesses and industrial consumers. The project was intended to support economic growth, improve public services and attract investment by tackling one of the major obstacles to development: unreliable electricity.

In November 2020, the Edo State Government announced that the 55-megawatt CCETC-Ossiomo Independent Power Plant had commenced supply, beginning with the lighting of Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium. The project was designed to serve public institutions, streetlights and industrial clusters, offering a dedicated supply arrangement for connected consumers.

Obaseki’s policy direction recognised that dependable electricity was essential to Edo’s development. Businesses need power to remain productive, hospitals require uninterrupted electricity to deliver essential services, and investors must be confident that energy shortages will not undermine their operations. Ossiomo was therefore more than an infrastructure project; it was an attempt to address a longstanding economic challenge.

However, the project encountered serious operational difficulties. In September 2025, following a dispute between its Nigerian promoters and Chinese partner, Jiangsu Communication Clean Energy Technology Company Limited (CCETC), Ossiomo Power shut down. The Edo State Government subsequently reconnected to BEDC to maintain electricity supply to public facilities.

The government reportedly explained that it had no equity stake in Ossiomo Power and was a customer rather than an owner. That distinction is important because it clarifies the state’s position in the commercial dispute. Nevertheless, the shutdown raises a broader question: how should Edo protect its electricity supply when a major power project becomes embroiled in a commercial disagreement?

The recent reports of a BEDC-related disruption that plunged parts of Edo into darkness, if confirmed, make this question even more urgent. The precise cause, duration and extent of the reported blackout should be independently established before responsibility is assigned. However, the incident underscores the economic and social consequences of unreliable electricity.

When power supply fails, businesses face higher operating costs, traders risk losing perishable goods, healthcare facilities depend on backup systems, and households are forced to spend more on generators and fuel. For a state seeking industrial development, these disruptions are costly and undermine public confidence.

Now that the roaster have crowed the reason for Ossiomo have resurfaced. The project’s underlying objectives remain relevant to Edo’s development for several reasons: Some of which are Economic growth, with need for Reliable electricity supports manufacturing, digital services, healthcare, hospitality and small businesses, helping to improve productivity and attract investment. Service accountability; a diversified electricity market can give eligible consumers greater choice and encourage providers to improve reliability, service quality and pricing. Protection of public infrastructure; Hospitals, government offices, streetlights and other public facilities require dependable electricity and effective contingency arrangements. Investor confidence: Clear regulations, enforceable contracts and predictable operating conditions are essential to sustaining investment in power generation and distribution.

These benefits depend on the plant’s operational readiness, valid authorisations, sound commercial agreements and lawful access to distribution infrastructure. Restoring Ossiomo therefore requires more than a political declaration; it requires a practical solution to the issues preventing normal operations.

Governor Monday Okpebholo’s administration  seem to have drawn Edo State back to the dark days in Benin City, but we can agree that his entitled to protect public institutions from electricity disruptions and ensure that public funds are used responsibly. Its decision to reconnect government facilities to BEDC following Ossiomo’s shutdown was presented as an emergency response.

However, managing an immediate crisis should not become a substitute for a long-term electricity strategy. The government must explain its position on Ossiomo’s future, the current status of the project and the steps being taken to ensure that consumers are not left vulnerable to repeated supply failures.

There is no established basis to conclude that Governor Okpebholo personally ordered Ossiomo’s shutdown or prohibited every Edo resident from accessing alternative electricity. The dispute has been linked in reporting to disagreements between the company’s Nigerian promoters and CCETC. Any claim that the state deliberately blocked Ossiomo’s operations must therefore be supported by verifiable evidence.

Nevertheless, the administration has a responsibility to facilitate lawful solutions, protect consumers and create a stable environment for electricity investment. The issue should not become a contest over which administration deserves political credit. What matters is whether Edo residents receive dependable electricity at a reasonable cost.

What the Okpebholo administration must do immediately due the strike of BEDC in Edo State and three other states in Nigeria is to resolve the situation and prevent further disruption by reestablishing the Ossiomo’s operational status: Publish an assessment of its functioning facilities, generation capacity, affected customers and the legal or technical obstacles preventing a return to service. Then Facilitate an urgent resolution: Convene Ossiomo’s Nigerian promoters, CCETC, BEDC, relevant electricity regulators and affected customers to identify a lawful and practical route towards restoring supply. Promote transparency: Publish relevant information on government electricity expenditure, supply agreements and measures being implemented to improve reliability. These actions would demonstrate that the administration is focused on practical outcomes rather than political disagreements.

The Ossiomo Power Plant was established to address Edo State’s electricity challenges and support economic development. Its shutdown has exposed weaknesses in the commercial and operational arrangements underpinning the project, but those difficulties do not erase the need for dependable power infrastructure.

The Okpebholo administration should therefore pursue the immediate restoration of Ossiomo’s lawful and technically viable electricity services, while respecting private ownership rights and ensuring that outstanding disputes are resolved transparently.

BEDC must also be held accountable for its contractual and regulatory obligations, just as independent power providers must meet the applicable standards of safety, reliability and service.

Edo State needs an electricity system that protects consumers from prolonged blackouts, supports businesses and provides a stable foundation for investment. The government should not allow political rivalry or commercial disagreements to undermine that objective.

The demand is clear: restore Ossiomo’s viable electricity services, resolve the outstanding disputes and make reliable, affordable power a priority for every eligible consumer in Edo State. The ultimate measure of any government’s energy policy is not its political ownership of a project, but the quality and reliability of electricity delivered to the people.