Minister of Power, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu, has highlighted vandalism and past negligence in maintenance as primary contributors to Nigeria’s recurring grid collapses.
Speaking on Wednesday at the Ministry of Power in Abuja, Adelabu formally received the report from a special committee commissioned to investigate the causes of recent grid failures, emphasizing that urgent government intervention is essential to tackle the crisis.
Adelabu stressed that the majority of grid incidents reported in 2024 were due to deliberate acts of vandalism and theft of vital power infrastructure.
“The Federal Government is taking the issue seriously, requiring urgent attention,” Adelabu stated, reaffirming his commitment to revamp Nigeria’s power sector. He pointed out that in addition to vandalism, the inadequate maintenance of power facilities and certain external factors exacerbated the situation.
The report, presented by the committee’s chair, Mrs. Nafisat Ali, who serves as the Executive Director of the Independent System Operator (ISO), pinpointed specific technical failures contributing to the recent collapses. Among these incidents were the destruction of lightning arrestors at the Jebba and Oshogbo transmission stations on October 14 and the explosion of a current transformer (CT) at the Jebba Station on October 19. Ali detailed these issues as significant triggers that undermined grid stability.
The committee, consisting of six members, recommended a comprehensive review of the relaying philosophy and the fine-tuning of current operational settings within a month. Such adjustments are expected to bolster the power system’s reliability and mitigate the risk of future collapses.
In addition, the committee advised enhancing the capacity development of staff involved in maintenance and system operations and called for the rigorous testing of existing equipment at critical nodes throughout the national grid.
Recognizing the fiscal requirements tied to the recommendations, Ali noted that those with significant financial implications should be factored into the 2025 national budget. However, to ensure prompt action, she suggested that some immediate needs could be met through a supplementary budget, allowing for a faster implementation of solutions.
Minister Adelabu assured the public that the Ministry of Power would thoroughly review the committee’s findings, make necessary adjustments, and submit an actionable proposal to President Bola Tinubu.
“Our objective is to present a comprehensive plan that secures grid stability and fosters a more reliable power supply for all Nigerians,” he added.
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