Why Nigeria’s Power Grid Collapses

Sule Abdulaziz, the head of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, has stated the issues with the country’s power equipment, noting that much of the equipments are very old and outdated. Despite these challenges, he is optimistic that Nigeria could achieve a consistent electricity supply nationwide within five years.

During an appearance on the TV show “Sunday Politics” on Channels Television, Abdulaziz discussed the frequent failures of the national power grid.

“For many years, the transmission system has been neglected. Most of the equipment we use is 40 to 50 years old, making it impossible for the infrastructure to function flawlessly,” Abdulaziz explained.

To prevent future collapses, Abdulaziz revealed plans to implement a backup system, which would help mitigate large-scale outages if the main grid fails.

“We are currently working on the scatter system for the entire network, funded by the World Bank. The project is expected to take two years to complete, and we have already finished 70% of it,” he stated.

The celebration of the project’s progress was recently held in Gwagwalada, Abuja, with representatives from the World Bank. “Once the scatter system is in place, it will significantly reduce the frequency of system disturbances,” Abdulaziz added.

Efforts are also being made to upgrade all transmission lines. Since the government may not have sufficient funds, partnerships with private companies are being sought.

“The honourable minister is collaborating with the presidency to gain approval for what we call the super grid,” Abdulaziz said. “With this new system, if one transmission line fails, we can switch to another, providing an alternative. Currently, our grid doesn’t offer this flexibility, which is why a single line problem can lead to widespread outages.”