The Federal Government has identified poor maintenance culture, inadequate, and aged equipment as key factors behind the recurrent collapses of Nigeria’s national power grid.
This comes after a series of blackouts, including those on October 14 and 19, 2024, which were linked to high voltage surpassing the capacity of the equipment.
During the presentation of the investigative committee’s findings, Nafisatu Asabe Ali, the committee’s chair, revealed that the collapse was caused by the shattering of lightning arrestors at the Jebba and Oshogbo transmission stations and an explosion at the Jebba station.
The high voltage at Jebba, reaching 400kV, caused the equipment to fail due to the degraded insulation from prolonged exposure to excessive voltage.
The investigation also uncovered that some of the equipment at the Jebba station, commissioned in 1968, has become outdated, contributing to the grid’s vulnerability.
The committee pointed out that maintenance lapses, vandalism, and uncoordinated schedules have worsened the situation, leading to multiple grid failures in 2024.
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, acknowledged the report’s findings and expressed concerns over the persistent grid disruptions. He promised that the ministry would push for additional funding through the 2024 Supplementary Budget and the 2025 Appropriation Bill to address the financial needs of urgent reforms.
The committee has recommended several measures to tackle the issue, including auditing existing equipment, improving transmission line maintenance, and enforcing proper operational standards.
Adelabu also emphasized that these reforms, if implemented, could help prevent future grid collapses and stabilize the country’s power sector.
