In a recent update, the Federal Government has disclosed the main factors contributing to the frequent collapses of Nigeria's national power grid, pointing to poor maintenance, outdated equipment, and limited resources. The announcement comes in the wake of the latest grid failure—marking the tenth incident in 2024 alone.
Presenting the findings at the Ministry of Power headquarters in Abuja, Nafisatu Asabe Ali, chair of the committee investigating the grid collapses, outlined specific issues leading to recent blackouts on October 14 and 19. According to Ali, high voltage levels beyond equipment capacity, malfunctioning lightning arrestors, and an explosion at the Jebba transmission station were among the immediate causes of these incidents.
"For the event on the 14th, we found lightning arrestors in Jebba and Oshogbo shattered due to high voltage. This led to the failure of multiple 330kV lines," Ali reported. "The root cause lies in the unavailability of a second reactor in Jebba, making it vulnerable to voltage spikes. Unfortunately, aging equipment and an insufficient maintenance culture have worsened these vulnerabilities."
The investigative committee identified that Jebba station, established in 1968, still relies on equipment from its early days, underscoring the urgent need for modernization. Additional challenges include infrastructure vandalism, disorganized maintenance schedules, insufficient power generation oversight, and human resource shortages.
In response, Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu emphasized that significant reforms, supported by additional funding, are essential to resolve the power grid's recurring issues. The ministry plans to request financial allocations in the 2024 Supplementary Budget and the 2025 Appropriation Bill to support equipment upgrades and improve grid reliability.
Expressing deep concern over the situation, Adelabu stated, "These repeated grid collapses are not just damaging to our country and the power sector but are troubling for me personally as Minister of Power." He also plans to submit an updated report to President Bola Tinubu to outline the required steps and their financial implications.
Among the committee’s recommendations are rigorous audits, routine equipment maintenance, installation of harmonics filters, decentralization of the TCN central store, enforcement of Free Governor Mode of Operation, and replacement of ad-hoc optic fiber connections on power lines.
