- Shiroro-Kaduna Line Repair Stalled by Insecurity, Minister Says
- Nationwide Transformer Distribution to Boost Power Supply
National Grid Collapses to Persist Amid Infrastructure Challenges – FG
The Federal Government has admitted that Nigeria’s national electricity grid remains prone to frequent collapses due to aging infrastructure, vandalism, and unresolved security challenges. Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, made the disclosure while presenting the 2025 budget before the Senate Committee on Power, chaired by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, in Abuja.
Adelabu explained that the government is taking steps to mitigate the frequency of collapses and improve restoration times but emphasized that the grid’s vulnerability would persist in the short term. A major obstacle, he revealed, is the inability to repair the Shiroro-Kaduna-Mando transmission line, which has been non-operational since a vandalism incident in October 2024.
“The Shiroro-Mando-Kaduna line, one of the key transmission lines to the Northern region, remains down due to insecurity, placing undue pressure on the grid,” he stated. “The grid currently depends on a single operational line, the Ugwuaji-Makurdi route, which was recently restored after repairs. This reliance creates unnecessary strain and makes the system fragile.”
The Minister announced a ₦36 billion investment in transformer distribution across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to strengthen the country’s power distribution network. Additionally, the government is set to commence the first phase of a project to revamp five major substations nationwide.
While acknowledging challenges, Adelabu highlighted collaboration with security agencies, including the National Security Adviser’s office, to address rampant vandalism. He described the grid as an outdated system inherited by the administration, struggling to meet the nation’s growing electricity demands.
The Minister clarified recent reports on grid collapses, stating, “In 2024, the grid experienced eight collapses, not 12 as widely reported. Of these, five were full collapses, with three caused by generation issues and two linked to vandalism. The remaining three were partial collapses resulting from imbalances in power generation and demand.”
Adelabu emphasized the government’s commitment to modernizing the national grid, ensuring prompt response times for system failures, and addressing Nigeria’s long-standing power challenges through targeted investments and reforms.
