New NERC commissioners to get 7 SUVs at N160m

      The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has requested for bidders to procure seven exotic Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV) valued at N159.3 million ($440,000) average market price for its commissioners within six weeks from the award date.

   In a public procurement notice issued this week and published in some national dailies, the commission, whose six commissioners assumed duty in February 2017 said it “wishes to invite interested, competent and reputable dealers/suppliers for participation in the procurement process for the supply of the specified vehicles.”

  

     The procurement is coming at a time when the electricity market is being hit with over N800bn liquidity crisis from which it financed about 1.5 per cent remittance from all electricity bills paid by customers for its regulatory services delivery to the Nigerian Electricity Market (NEM). The vehicles’ specifications show that they will be SUV with 4.6-litre engine capacity, V8 type. The notification further said they should be ‘Full Option’ and would be 2018 model.

    Daily Trust reports that the seventh commissioner and potential chairman of the commission is yet to be screened by the National Assembly and has not assumed duty at NERC nine months after the other six started working. Although the vehicles’ brands were not stated in the publication, a market survey conducted by our reporter based on the specifications shows that the 2018 Model of GX 460 Premium Lexus SUV with exact specifications prescribed by NERC is sold from N22.762m ($63,230),  based on the price update on Lexus’ website.  Procuring seven of the 4.6-litre V8 engine and six speed automated vehicles would cost N159.334m ($442,610), excluding a 35 per cent Customs’ Duty Paid Value (CDPV) and freight cost.

  

   Toyota Land Cruiser V8 2018 Model SUV, ‘Full Option’ sells from N30.119 ($83,665) on the Toyota website, though it has a 5.7-litre capacity other than the 4.6-litre NERC ordered. NERC had bought Ford SUVs for its second set of commissioners in 2010 who left office upon the expiration of their five year-term in December 2015. The commission which is being managed by an  Acting Chairman and Commissioner, Engr. Sanusi Garba, has directed the bid documents be ‘dropped into the Tender Box located at the commission’s secretariat on Tuesday, December 19, 2017.’