Hope For Reliable Electricity: Adelabu Highlights Plans To Secure The National Grid

Adebayo Adelabu, the Minister of Power, has stated that the National Grid will continue to face.

collapses until the repair of the Ugwachi-Bauchi-Makurdi line is completed. He revealed that attempts to repair the line have been hindered by insecurity in the north, emphasizing the urgent need for the issue to be addressed.

In his statement, Adelabu highlighted that the inability to fix the damaged line due to insecurity is placing significant strain on existing infrastructure, making the grid increasingly fragile. He also pointed out that the grid is outdated and requires a complete overhaul to function effectively.

Adelabu addressed reports suggesting that the National Grid collapsed 12 times in 2024, clarifying that there were 8 incidents, with 5 being full collapses and 3 partial collapses.

During a session with the Senate Committee on Power, Adelabu acknowledged that no assurances could be made to prevent future collapses, but assured that the Power Ministry would swiftly work to restore the grid in the event of any incident.

He stated, “We had plans to stabilize the grid and other transmission infrastructure. Out of the 8 collapses experienced in 2024, five were full collapses, while 3 were partial collapses. Three of the full collapses were due to generation issues, where sudden reductions in generation did not match the power demand, causing frequency imbalances on the grid. Additionally, two collapses were attributed to vandalism, though this issue was addressed briefly.”

Adelabu also emphasized that the Shiroro-Mando-Kaduna line remains unrepaired, contributing to the grid’s fragility. He mentioned that this line has been handed over to security agencies for repair but remains unresolved.

Regarding the 2025 budget, Adelabu informed lawmakers that the Power Ministry achieved approximately 50 to 55 percent of its budget so far and expressed confidence that performance could reach up to 80 percent by June 2025. He also highlighted the need for increased funding for agencies like the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to fulfill its mandate.

He stated, “The total budget for the sector, which includes the ministry and its agencies, is about N2 trillion. Of this, N10.5 billion is allocated for overhead and personnel expenses. For capital expenditure, N810 billion is allocated for loan repayment.”