Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has pointed to outdated infrastructure as the main cause of Nigeria’s frequent national grid collapses. This follows the nation’s seventh power grid collapse in 2024, which plunged the country into darkness earlier this week.
Speaking at the unveiling of Hexing Livoltek, a new electricity meter manufacturing company in Lagos, Adelabu explained, “We keep discussing grid collapse—whether total, partial, or a slight trip-off. This is almost inevitable due to the state of our power infrastructure. With the infrastructure in deplorable conditions, why wouldn’t there be trip-offs or collapses? Until we overhaul the entire system, this problem will persist. For now, we’re focused on managing it.”
He noted that, prior to this recent partial collapse, there had been no grid failures in the last four months, and the recent one lasted less than two hours. Adelabu highlighted the importance of improving response times to restore power whenever collapses occur.
The minister also emphasized the need for significant investment in the power sector, citing the use of transformers that are 50 to 60 years old. “You can’t expect them to perform optimally,” he said, calling for modernization to prevent further collapses.
Commenting on the decentralization of Nigeria’s power sector under the new Electricity Act, Adelabu noted that the Act allows state and local governments to participate in electricity generation, transmission, and distribution. He added, “We currently rely on a single national grid, and if there’s a disturbance, it affects all 36 states. It shouldn’t be like that.”