The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, announces plans to expand Nigeria’s national grid by an additional 150 megawatts (MW) before the end of the year.
Adelabu provides the update during a briefing on Thursday after a meeting between German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Nigerian President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. He highlights the progress made under the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) in addressing the country’s energy challenges.
“We have achieved 80% completion of the pilot phase, which involves the importation, installation, and commissioning of 10 power transformers and 10 mobile substations,” Adelabu states. “Most of these have been commissioned, and we aim to finalize the remaining two before the end of the year. This progress has added 750 megawatts to our transmission grid capacity, and we expect an additional 150 megawatts when the pilot phase is fully completed.”
Adelabu acknowledges the aging infrastructure of the national grid and its impact on reliability but expresses optimism about ongoing upgrades.
“Our grid is old and fragile, requiring a complete overhaul. When we complete Phase One of the transmission project, the grid will become significantly more stable and efficient,” he explains.
The national grid has faced repeated collapses, leaving large parts of the country in prolonged blackouts. These outages are attributed to outdated infrastructure, insufficient maintenance, and limited capacity in power generation and transmission.
Recent incidents, such as a grid collapse confirmed by electricity distribution companies, highlight the fragility of the power system and its struggle to meet the needs of Nigeria’s growing population and economy.
Frequent grid failures disrupt households, businesses, and industries, forcing many to rely on costly alternatives like generators. While the government has introduced initiatives to stabilize and upgrade the grid, progress remains gradual.
The planned expansion and ongoing improvements aim to enhance grid reliability, but a comprehensive approach is essential to secure a stable and sustainable power supply for the country.
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