NIGERIANS are still battling with epileptic power supply in their households, despite the government claim that it has reported notable progress in the stability of the power grid.
The Nigerian government credited the grid stability to the addition of 700 megawatts (MW) in transmission capacity.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, over the weekend during a meeting with the European (EU) Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, at his office in Abuja.
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Over the weekend, several parts of Nigeria, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), experienced widespread blackouts and power outages. Residents of areas such as Kubwa, Nyanya, and Airport Road confirmed to The ICIR that they had little to no electricity supply.
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According to a statement issued on Sunday, April 13, by the Minister’s media aide, Bolaji Tunji, Adelabu explained that the increased capacity was made possible through the Presidential Power Initiative, which secured $2.3 billion in funding to overhaul and upgrade the transmission infrastructure.
He noted that in the past, the power grid became unstable and vulnerable to collapse whenever supply neared 5,000MW. He further stated that almost 90 per cent of the newly added capacity has already been installed and is now in use, significantly improving the grid’s performance.
“We have installed almost 90 per cent of this, and they are working. And that has improved transmission capacity by over 700 megawatts, which is the result of what we are seeing now in terms of relative stability in the transmission grid.
“We have almost completed the pilot phase of that project, which involved the importation, installation, commissioning, and energisation of 10 power transformers across the country and another set of 10 mobile substations,” the statement read in part.
The minister explained that previously, the grid became unstable and frequently collapsed whenever the supply reached 5,000 megawatts.
However, he said that the country is now averaging between 5,000 and 8,000 megawatts, attributing the improvement to the government’s ongoing efforts and initiatives.
Adelabu also stated that the current administration has achieved two significant milestones in Nigeria’s power sector history.
He noted that, for the first time, the country recorded an average daily power consumption of over 20,000 kilowatt hours.
Additionally, the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) transmitted and distributed a record 5,801.63 megawatts of energy, surpassing the previous peak set in 2021.
He further highlighted that the nation reached a generation capacity of 6,003 megawatts, the highest ever recorded. He emphasised that these achievements reflect the positive impact of the government’s efforts in the sector.
Meanwhile, the minister appealed to EU member states to maintain their support for Nigeria by providing technical, financial, and other forms of assistance, particularly in the power sector, which he described as the backbone of the nation’s economy.
He stressed the importance of the sector in ensuring the economy functions at its best.
Adelabu also reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to working closely with the EU and its development partners to achieve shared goals through both bilateral and multilateral agreements.
Fatimah Quadri is a Journalist and a Fact-checker at The ICIR. She has written news articles, fact-checks, explainers, and media literacy in an effort to combat information disorder.
She can be reached at sunmibola_q on X or fquadri@icirnigeria.org