The federal government has issued an apology regarding the recent collapse of the national grid, which led to power outages lasting several days in 17 states across the country.
During a courtesy visit to Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf on Thursday, Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu described the situation as “very unfortunate.”
He noted that the federal government is working on overhauling the national grid to minimize frequent disturbances and enhance power supply nationwide.
Adelabu noted that the national grid is over 50 years old and suffers from weak, outdated, and deteriorating components, including aging lines and substations with old transformers.
He pointed out that many of the towers installed long ago are now falling due to adverse weather conditions and climate change, requiring ongoing maintenance.
“This grid requires significant funding for maintenance. We will continue to manage the current infrastructure and work to prevent frequent disturbances until we can fully overhaul it,” the minister stated.
He outlined the government’s plans to revamp the entire grid structure, including various initiatives aimed at replacing old infrastructure. Key programs include the Presidential Power Initiative, known as the Siemens project, which is currently underway.
He mentioned that the Transmission Company of Nigeria’s expansion program, supported by the World Bank and the African Development Bank, is also part of this effort.
Adelabu reported that the pilot phase of the Siemens project has recently concluded, involving the importation of 10 power transformers and 10 mobile substations.
He assured that phase one of the project would commence soon, leading to improved grid performance compared to current conditions.
He emphasized that the improvements in the power sector were not coincidental, noting that many old transformers have been replaced with new ones.
“We have also installed and inaugurated mobile substations where necessary, which has contributed to the stability we are experiencing,” he added.
The minister urged Nigerians to protect the nation’s power infrastructure from vandalism, as repairs are costly.
Governor Abba Yusuf, represented by his Chief of Staff Shehu Sagagi, shared that the state government is nearing completion of the 10-megawatt hydropower plant at Tiga and a 6-megawatt plant at Chalawa. He stated that these projects would support around five percent of the population, alongside the installation of solar power in the metropolis, which has improved security in the state.
“When we assumed office, we procured 500 transformers for distribution to enhance power supply,” Yusuf noted, adding that the state government plans to establish a state electricity market to attract private sector investment.
He called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene by establishing an emergency mini-grid power plant to ensure adequate voltage supply in the state and diversify power generation, reducing reliance on the national grid.
