January 14, (THEWILL) – Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has ruled out the possibility of the Federal Government ending the collapse of the National Grid, saying it would focus on reducing their frequency and ensuring quick restoration times.
“There is no guarantee that there will be no more grid collapse. What we can do is to make sure that it is minimal and that after a collapse, we rectify it as quickly as possible. 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 vandalised but has been repaired. The Shiroro-Mando-Kaduna line, however, remains down due to insecurity, This is why our grid is so fragile, as it relies on a single line, causing unnecessary strain”, Adelabu said on Monday when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Power in Abuja to defend the Ministry’s budget for 2025,
The minister emphasised that while grid collapses are expected to continue, the government is focused on reducing their frequency and ensuring quick restoration times.
“We recognise 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”, he said.
Adelabu, however, faulted reports that the national grid collapsed 12 times in 2024.
“only eight times and not 12 as always reported”, he said, adding that a permanent end to grid collapse would require concerted efforts, including tackling insecurity and the frequent vandalism of power infrastructure.
The minister laments the vandalism of transmission facilities, which he described as the most significant challenge facing the power sector. He underscored that the collaboration, especially with the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, is critical to addressing the menace.
Adelabu disclosed a security plan to provide solar lights and Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras on highways in the country to monitor the movements of vandals and other criminal elements. He said the power sector would need about N1.8 trillion in 2025 alone to fix projects.
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