The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has acknowledged that the Federal Government has yet to find a permanent solution to the frequent collapse of Nigeria’s national grid.
Speaking to the Senate Committee on Power on Monday during the 2025 budget defense, Adelabu highlighted that challenges such as insecurity, vandalism, and inadequate infrastructure remain significant threats.
He clarified reports that the grid collapsed 12 times in 2024, stating there were eight incidents—five full collapses and three partial ones. He attributed three of the full collapses to generation issues and the remaining two to vandalism.
Adelabu revealed that repairing critical power lines, like the Shiroro-Mando-Kaduna 330kV line, has been hampered by bandit activity, resulting in over N9 billion in unbudgeted repair costs. To mitigate insecurity, the ministry proposed projects worth N200 billion, including solar lighting and CCTV installations on highways.
Despite challenges, the minister noted an increase in power generation from 4,100 MW in 2023 to 5,528 MW in 2024, thanks to improved infrastructure.
Senators, led by committee chairman Enyinnaya Abaribe, criticized electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) for poor performance since the sector’s privatization, with calls for reviewing contracts and possibly taking back some operations.
Adelabu defended the DisCos, suggesting an individual assessment of their contributions rather than a blanket evaluation.
