Power minister denies multiple grid collapses, blames minor trip-offs

• TCN to investigate incidents after full restoration
• Peter Obi condemns collapse, calls it ‘national shame’
• HURIWA: Sack Adelabu now, rights group tells President

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has refuted widely reported claims of multiple grid collapses that occurred Monday and yesterday, describing the incidents as minor trip-offs.

In an exclusive interview with The Guardian, Adelabu clarified that the disruptions in electricity supply resulted from brief system trips, which were quickly addressed.

The minister explained that the issue on Monday occurred at approximately 18:48 hours, while yesterday, similar incidents were recorded at 09:17 hours and 14:00 hours, resulting in supply cuts to several distribution companies.

At 10:00 a.m. yesterday, the power supply from the grid abruptly dropped to 0MW across all regions, plunging the nation into total darkness once again. By 14:26 hours, 80MW power supply was distributed across several Distribution Companies (DisCos), with Enugu receiving 20MW, Ibadan 20MW, and Ikeja 40MW, while Abuja, Benin, Eko, Jos, Kaduna, Kano, Port Harcourt, and Yola received 0MW.

“When you talk about a grid collapse, it would affect 100 per cent of our grid infrastructure. These were lines tripping in certain parts of the country; even major sectors like Abuja, Lagos, and Ibadan were unaffected. The situation was restored within two hours,” he said.

The minister noted that such grid disturbances are not unique to Nigeria, attributing them to weather and ageing infrastructure factors. He emphasised that the swift response to the incident demonstrated improvements in the management and stability of the national grid.

Electricity distribution companies, including Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) and Ikeja Electric (IE), confirmed the system collapse, which resulted in widespread power loss.

Both companies assured customers they were working with partners to restore the grid quickly. The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) also announced that it would investigate the cause of the incident once complete restoration had been achieved.

According to Ndidi Mba, TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, the grid experienced a partial disturbance on Monday, October 14, 2024, at 6:48 p.m. Despite immediate recovery efforts, including assistance from the Azura power station, the grid faced a setback during the recovery process yesterday morning.

Meanwhile, TCN reported that supply had been restored to critical areas, including Abuja and other major distribution load centres across the country.

“Despite the setback, TCN continued with the grid recovery process, achieving bulk power availability to about 90 per cent of substations nationwide,” a statement read.

The company also noted that the Ibom Gas generating station, which was isolated from the grid, continued to supply power to the South-South region, including Eket, Ekim, Uyo, and Itu, throughout the disruption.

TCN pledged to thoroughly investigate the cause of the incident once the grid is fully restored. Reacting, the Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi disapproved of the blackouts.

Obi described the recurring development as a “national shame” and a stark reflection of failed leadership and ineffective policy implementation. Taking to his X (Twitter) handle, Obi questioned how much longer Nigerians would have to endure a power system that consistently fails to meet the country’s critical needs.

He emphasised the pivotal role of reliable electricity in driving economic transformation, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are the backbone of job creation and contribute significantly to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Obi expressed concern over Nigeria’s lagging power generation, pointing out the alarming disparity between Nigeria and other African nations.

“While Nigeria generates less than 10,000 megawatts, South Africa and Egypt produce over 40,000 megawatts each,” he said, adding that this failure underscores a governance deficit that continues to stifle the nation’s growth and potential.

Calling for urgent and comprehensive reforms, Obi stressed that Nigerians deserve a government committed to measurable development outcomes. He ended hopefully: “A new Nigeria is possible.”

In his statement, Obi wrote: “For the umpteenth time, the national grid has collapsed, plunging a considerable part of the nation into darkness and exposing the fragility of Nigeria’s power infrastructure.

“This recurring disaster is a national shame and a glaring testament to the failure of leadership and policy implementation at the highest levels.

“How long must Nigerians endure a system that fails to provide one of the critical necessities for a productive society?

“This latest power grid collapse is emblematic of a leadership and government that have consistently failed to prioritise the welfare and economic well-being of the people.

“We all know the immense importance of power supply to transforming our economy. Its support to SMEs, which are the engine of job creation and a major contributor to our GDP, is immeasurable.

Today, we are the fourth-largest economy in Africa, having fallen from the number one position due to leadership failure over the years, including the persistent power crisis.

“South Africa, now the largest economy in Africa with a GDP of about $400 billion and 30 per cent of our population, generates and distributes over 40,000 megawatts of electricity.

“Egypt, the second-largest economy with a GDP of about $350 billion and half of our population, generates and distributes over 40,000 megawatts.

“Algeria, the third-largest economy, with about $300 billion GDP and 20 per cent of our population, generates and distributes over 50,000 megawatts of electricity.

“Nigeria, with a smaller GDP but a larger population than the three countries combined, generates and distributes less than 10,000 megawatts, and even that is plagued by frequent collapses.

“This disparity in power generation reflects the deep-rooted governance deficits that continue to hold back our growth and potential.

“It is time for urgent, comprehensive reform. Nigerians deserve a government that prioritises measurable indices of development.”

Also, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) expressed outrage over the recurring grid failures and called for the immediate dismissal of Adelabu.

HURIWA condemned the collapses as symptomatic of gross incompetence and a failure of leadership within the Ministry of Power. The organisation’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, criticised the ministry’s revolving door of politicians who have consistently failed to deliver reliable electricity to the nation.

“Nigeria has been plagued by inadequate leadership in the power sector for the past two decades,” Onwubiko stated. “Many ministers leave office under a cloud of corruption allegations, having failed to provide the electricity necessary for industrial and economic growth.” He questioned President Tinubu’s decision to retain Adelabu, whose tenure has been marked by a series of grid collapses and a worsening electricity crisis.

“Electricity is the lifeblood of any modern economy,” Onwubiko argued. “Appointing an ineffective minister to such a critical role is a grave disservice to the nation.”

HURIWA dismissed the government’s repeated excuses for the power failures, citing a lack of concrete action to address the underlying issues.

“We hear the same explanations repeatedly – system disturbances, infrastructure challenges – but there is never a clear plan to prevent further collapses,” Onwubiko said.

HURIWA highlighted the detrimental impact of these recurring outages on Nigeria’s economy and its citizens.

“Over 60 per cent of Nigerians suffer from electricity poverty,” Onwubiko explained. “This lack of reliable power hinders their ability to engage in productive economic activities and perpetuates a cycle of poverty.”

The human rights group urged the government to appoint qualified professionals, rather than career politicians, to manage the power sector.

“We need experts with the technical knowledge to overhaul the system and ensure that electricity no longer serves as an obstacle to Nigeria’s development,” the statement read.

HURIWA warned that Nigerians’ patience is wearing thin and that the continuous failure of the power grid reflects a broader governance failure with potentially severe long-term consequences.

“How much longer must Nigerians endure this?” Onwubiko asked. “It is time for President Tinubu to take decisive action and appoint competent professionals to fix the power sector once and for all.”