A recent report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) has shed light on the tumultuous state of Nigeria’s national power grid. Managed by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), the grid reportedly succumbed to total collapse a staggering 46 times between 2017 and 2023.
The year 2023 alone witnessed three debilitating nationwide blackouts on September 14, 19, and December 11. These blackouts were attributed to various reasons, including a major fire on crucial transmission lines. The report paints a dismal picture of Nigeria’s power reliability, indicating that an estimated 40% of all electricity consumed in the country is generated from backup generators due to the erratic power supply.
Limited grid infrastructure, widespread vandalism, chronic underinvestment, and an ineffective regulatory framework were identified as the primary culprits behind the arduous challenges plaguing Nigeria’s power sector, as per the IEA report. It highlighted the distressing consequence of these issues, emphasizing that a substantial portion of the country’s electricity relies on backup generators.
The gravity of the situation is further underscored by the revelation that in 2022 alone, the national grid collapsed a troubling eight times. The power sector in Nigeria has grappled with an array of profound challenges encompassing insufficient investment, lapses in electricity policy enforcement, regulatory ambiguity, constraints in gas supply, transmission system limitations, and substantial deficits in power sector planning.
This detailed analysis by the IEA serves as a stark reminder of the critical state of Nigeria’s power infrastructure, urging a concerted and comprehensive effort to address the underlying issues and fortify the nation’s power grid for the welfare and advancement of its citizens.
