In a recent interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, Kunle Olubiyo, an expert in the power sector and President of the Nigerian Consumer Protection Network, highlighted the urgent need for an upgrade of transmission infrastructure in Nigeria. Olubiyo emphasized that the frequent grid collapses in the country could be mitigated by addressing the obsolescence of existing transmission infrastructure.
According to Olubiyo, the current transmission infrastructure in use in Nigeria is outdated, leading to constraints in the grid and limiting the country’s power generation capacity to just over 5,800 Megawatts. He called on the government to prioritize the modernization of transmission infrastructure to prevent further grid collapses and improve the overall reliability of the power system.
Despite the challenges faced by the power sector, Olubiyo commended the efforts of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) in managing the grid constraints and preventing more widespread power outages. He urged the government to take decisive action to address the issue and ensure a more stable and efficient power supply for all Nigerians.
In a related development, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) recently issued a public notice informing its customers of a system failure that led to a power outage in the region. The company attributed the outage to a collapse in the National Grid, which occurred at 4:28 pm on Thursday. AEDC reassured its customers that they were working diligently to restore normal power supply in the affected areas.
As Nigeria grapples with the challenges of an outdated power infrastructure and frequent grid collapses, stakeholders like Kunle Olubiyo continue to advocate for urgent reforms to improve the country’s energy sector and ensure a more reliable power supply for all citizens. The call for action on transmission infrastructure upgrades remains crucial in addressing the root causes of grid failures and enhancing the resilience of Nigeria’s power system.