The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has warned that the country will continue to experience power instability until critical repairs are completed on the national grid. The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, disclosed this during a meeting with lawmakers, highlighting that unresolved issues with the Shiroro-Mando-Kaduna line remain a significant challenge.
“As I’m talking to you, we have not rectified the major line, which is the Shiroro-Mando-Kaduna line. This is why our grid is so fragile. It’s only one line supplying power to the north, and it’s being burdened unnecessarily. Insecurity has prevented us from fixing this line, even though we handed the matter over to security agencies,” Adelabu stated.
The minister lamented the deteriorating state of the national grid, describing it as old and dilapidated, and acknowledged the difficulties the government inherited in managing it.
Providing clarity on the grid’s performance in 2024, Adelabu refuted reports claiming 12 collapses during the year, confirming that there were eight instances, three of which were partial collapses caused by generation issues.
“Out of the eight collapses, five were full collapses, while three were partial. Of the five full collapses, three were due to generation problems caused by a reduction in power generation compared to user demand, leading to grid imbalances. The remaining two were caused by vandalism,” Adelabu explained.
He warned that grid collapses would likely persist but assured lawmakers that the government is committed to reducing their frequency and ensuring quicker restoration times. Vandalism, he noted, remains one of the most significant challenges in the power sector.
As Nigeria grapples with power instability, Adelabu called for urgent collaboration among stakeholders to address insecurity and infrastructure deficiencies plaguing the national grid.