Why There Is No End To National Grid Collapses In Nigeria - FG

The national electricity grid remains vulnerable to collapse due to the government’s failure to repair a key transmission line in northern Nigeria, caused by ongoing security challenges.

Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, made this statement during the 2025 budget defense session with the Senate Joint Committee on Power.

Adelabu emphasized the significant impact of the damaged Shiroro-Kaduna-Mando line, which has been non-operational since an act of vandalism in October 2024.

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This disruption has added substantial strain on the grid, resulting in frequent power outages.

“The Kaduna-Shiroro-Mando line was one of the two major lines transmitting power to the north. The second, the Ugwuaji-Makurdi line, was also vandalized but has been repaired. The Shiroro-Mando-Kaduna line, however, remains down due to insecurity,” he said on Monday.

“This is why our grid is so fragile, as it relies on a single line, causing unnecessary strain.”

The minister highlighted that while grid collapses are expected to persist, the government is committed to reducing their frequency and ensuring swift restoration times.

He stressed that collaboration, particularly with the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, is vital in tackling vandalism, one of the major challenges confronting the power sector.

The minister also announced a N2 trillion budget for the ministry and its agencies, with N229 billion allocated to the ministry itself.

Additionally, he revealed a N700 billion fund dedicated to the Power Metering Initiative (PMI), which aims to significantly close the metering gap by next month, thereby improving billing transparency and curbing fraud in the system.

“We recognize the issues with full or partial grid collapses, but our focus is on reducing the time it takes to restore power. We are actively collaborating with security agencies to achieve this,” Adelabu said.

The minister also revealed plans to invest N36 billion in the distribution of transformers across the six geopolitical zones.

To tackle insecurity, Adelabu has suggested the installation of solar-powered street lights and Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras along highways nationwide.

This initiative aims to monitor the activities of vandals and other criminals, thereby improving security and safeguarding critical infrastructure.

This proposal is part of a N200 billion allocation in the 2025 budget.