Just when discussion about his actual chances at the polls is generating interest, Peter Obi this week hugged media headlines when he announced his trip to Egypt to understudy the third biggest economy in Africa after South Africa and Nigeria.
Although the Egyptian trip has generated too many conflicting reports, Obi has maintained that the trip remains a means of gaining insights into the development stride of Egypt, especially in power generation and education.
In six years, Egypt has jumped 68 ranks in terms of electricity production from the 145th rank to the 77th, and that success is attributed to public investments directed at upgrade and expansion in the sector.
According to data published by the Egyptian New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA), renewable energy plants, including wind, photovoltaic (PV) and hydropower stations, across Egypt produced a total of 4,735 GWh of electricity in the first quarter of 2022. The total amount of installed electricity generation capacity, according to World Data, reached about 59.53 thousand megawatts as of 2019/2020
By December 17, 2020, Egypt’s power generation capacity recorded 59,063 megawatts while that of the distribution networks hit 164,000 megavolt-ampere (MVA) rising by 12,560 MVA, a report in the local Egypt Today claims.
Despite being endowed with large oil, gas, hydro and solar resources, Nigeria has the potential to generate 12,522 MW of electric power from existing plants. But according to USAID, on most days, it is only able to dispatch around 4,000 MW, which is insufficient for a country of over 195 million people.
When the Egyptian developmental records are placed against Nigeria’s, Obi’s Egyptian trip becomes quite plausible.
Structure Vs Ideas
Yet for many, in the context of electioneering, with a major election to be held today in Ekiti, the Egyptian trip becomes quite questionable. The big concern remains: between ideas and structures, which matters more in electioneering?