Kunle Olubiyo, the president of the Nigerian Consumer Protection Network (NCPN), has criticized the frequent collapses of the national grid and called for urgent intervention. He made this statement on Tuesday, attributing the issue to outdated Critical Grid Equipment/National Power Grid Infrastructure and failures in various layers of system protective devices.
Olubiyo proposed solutions, suggesting that the Nigerian electricity grid value chain could benefit from increased investment in Grid Automation and timely payment of gas debts to alleviate gas-related constraints. He also emphasized the importance of removing illegal structures erected under Transmission Network Towers and clearing all illegal structures along the Grid Network Right of Way to enhance the National Power Grid’s efficiency.
He stressed the need to address Low Gas Pressure by ensuring upfront payments of gas debts, which would incentivize full gas pressure and eliminate issues related to low gas pressure.
Recent reports from DAILY POST indicate that parts of Nigeria experienced a blackout three days ago due to a national grid collapse. However, the Transmission Company of Nigeria managed to restore power within hours.
This incident follows the Nigerian government’s attribution of reduced power supply in some areas to gas constraints faced by generation companies. Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, urged Nigerians to be patient as efforts were made to address challenges in the power sector. As a result, Adelabu established a committee to tackle persistent power blackouts.
It is worth noting that Nigeria’s national grid has collapsed 46 times in the past six years, as reported by DAILY POST.