The Federal Government has identified poor maintenance practices, aged equipment, and other systemic issues as primary reasons behind Nigeria’s repeated power grid collapses. During a report presentation on Wednesday, Nafisatu Asabe Ali, Chair of the investigative committee examining recent grid failures, confirmed that the equipment’s inability to handle high voltage levels led to blackouts on October 14 and 19. This year alone, the grid has collapsed 10 times.
The October blackouts were attributed to lightning arrestors shattering in Jebba and Oshogbo transmission stations, along with a current transformer (CT) explosion in Jebba. The report highlighted that high voltage levels, exacerbated by unavailable shunt reactors, degraded the insulation of aging equipment, with much of it dating back to 1968.
In addition to outdated equipment, the committee identified other challenges, including vandalism, insufficient staffing, uncoordinated maintenance schedules, and lack of “free governors” in power plants—devices that regulate grid frequency and stability.
Responding to the report, Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu outlined plans to secure extra funding through the 2024 Supplementary Budget and the 2025 Appropriation Bill to implement necessary upgrades and curb grid instability. Adelabu emphasized that addressing these issues is a national priority and called for comprehensive reforms across the power sector.
The committee recommended audits of existing equipment, stricter maintenance protocols, installation of harmonic filters, and decentralizing the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) central store. Additional proposals included enforcing Free Governor Mode of Operation and addressing optical fiber issues along transmission lines.
The Minister stressed the urgent need for these interventions, aiming to improve grid reliability and prevent further disruptions in the nation’s power supply.
