The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has announced plans to increase Nigeria’s national grid capacity by 150 megawatts before the end of the year.
He made this disclosure during a briefing with State House Correspondents after a closed-door meeting between German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Nigerian President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The Minister revealed that the expansion is part of the ongoing Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) aimed at improving electricity transmission and distribution across the country.
Adelabu explained that the pilot phase of the project is nearing completion, with significant milestones already achieved. According to him, the importation, installation, and commissioning of 10 power transformers and 10 mobile substations are almost finalized.
“We have completed the pilot phase of this project up to 80%,” he said, adding that two substations remain to be commissioned before the year ends. This effort has already added 750 megawatts to the transmission grid, providing some stability to the system.
The Minister expressed optimism about the future of the national grid, describing ongoing efforts as transformative. Acknowledging the aging and fragile state of the current infrastructure, he emphasized the need for a complete overhaul to ensure long-term stability.
“When we are done with the Phase One project in transmission, the entire grid will not remain the same,” Adelabu assured. He noted that the improvements would address the frequent collapses that have plagued the grid for years.
This year alone, the national grid has suffered 11 collapses, plunging many parts of the country into darkness. Aging infrastructure, inadequate maintenance, and limited capacity have been identified as key factors contributing to these failures.
The latest collapse, confirmed by the Jos Electricity Distribution Company, occurred on Wednesday afternoon, disrupting power supply and further highlighting the grid’s fragility.
While the government has introduced several initiatives to stabilize the grid, progress has been slow. The frequent failures continue to impact households, businesses, and industries, forcing many to rely on expensive alternatives such as generators.
The recent efforts under the PPI bring hope for improvement, but they also underscore the urgent need for systemic reforms in Nigeria’s power sector to achieve reliable and sustainable electricity supply.