Using Total Quality Management as a Tool for Re-engineering Coal Production in Nigerian Coal Corporation: An Energy Industry Case Study

Abstract

An attempt aimed at entrenching the total quality management paradigm into the Nigerian Coal Corporation is made to ensure that the re-introduction of coal into the Nigerian energy mix is sustainable and maintainable. To this end, the following issues crucial to this report are examined and discussed, as the full text of this article would show. The review of the Nigerian coal production profile from 1916 to 1998 displayed two spectacular regimes, namely: The growing production period (1916–1959) and the diminishing production regime (1972–1998). The highlights of the Minerals and Mines Act 2006 which revealed the incentives that would be beneficial to the investors, host communities, subsistent miners, government and environmental–protection enthusiast. The discussion about the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission awards of licenses to the independent private power companies showed that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission was yet to be guided by the Federal government policy of diversification and promotion of viable non-oil resources like coal. The brief excursion into the problems of the Nigerian Coal Corporation exposed the technical and administrative problems of the Nigerian Coal Corporation that are required to be tackled by total quality management paradigm. The discussion of the basics of the total quality management paradign and culture showed how to tackle the Nigerian Coal Corporation problems through the enthronement of the total quality management principles.