The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has underscored the urgent need for regional and state power grids to eliminate the recurrent issue of grid collapses in Nigeria. During the launch of a new electricity meter manufacturing company in Lekki, Lagos, he highlighted the country’s deteriorating power infrastructure as a primary cause of these grid failures.
Adelabu advocated for a decentralized power sector, enabled by the Electricity Act signed by President Bola Tinubu in 2023, which allows subnational governments to engage in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. He explained that relying on a single national grid poses risks to all 36 states, and stressed the importance of transitioning to regional and state power grids to enhance reliability.
“If one grid experiences a problem, only the affected state will face outages, mitigating nationwide disruptions,” Adelabu asserted. He emphasized that without significant investment in the power sector, grid collapses will remain commonplace.
Reflecting on recent grid stability, he noted there had been no major collapses in the past four months until a partial failure occurred recently, which lasted under two hours. He called for improved response times and highlighted the urgent need to modernize aging infrastructure to prevent future issues.
In his address, Adelabu commended the new electricity meter factory for its investment at a time when many are retreating from the market. He recognized the launch as a pivotal advancement toward a more efficient and equitable electricity sector, emphasizing local content, job creation, and reduced reliance on imports.
Hexing Group’s CEO expressed his commitment to advancing clean energy in Nigeria, marking their expansion into the country as a critical milestone in smart energy solutions.
Meanwhile, it was reported that the national grid, which experienced disruptions earlier this week, has since been restored.
