THE NIGERIAN government has said it will spend about 4.3 billion naira to extend electricity supplies to all rural areas in the West African country. The chairman of the technical committee of state power monopoly NEPA, Liyel Imoke, said the project was part of President Olusegun Obasanjo’s plans to tackle poverty in the oil-producing country of over 110 million people. Imoke said the government had concluded plans to increase power generation by the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) to meet the expansion plan. ”Over 2000 megawatts of electricity will be generated by the end of this year,” Imoke said. Nigeria currently generates only 1400 megawatts from a possible output of nearly 6,000 megawatts due to dilapidated plants, but the government has commenced a major rehabilitation programme for the power plants, ahead of NEPA’s privatisation towards the end of next year. – Reuters