The Nigerian government has disclosed spending approximately N8.8 billion to repair transmission towers destroyed across the country.
.Bolaji Tunji, special adviser on strategic communication to the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, revealed these details following a quarterly power sector working group meeting in Abuja.
Suleiman Abdulaziz, Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), reported that between January 13 and the present, 128 transmission towers have been systematically destroyed by vandals and bandits.
The mounting infrastructure damage has created significant disruptions to the country’s electricity supply.
Abdulaziz expressed deep frustration with the current law enforcement response, noting that when vandals are apprehended, police frequently categorize their actions as theft rather than vandalism, which enables them to be easily bailed out and return to their destructive activities.
“Each time the vandals were caught and taken to the police for prosecution, police would indict them for theft, instead of vandalism, and they would be bailed,” he stated.
The challenges have been so severe that in some instances, contractors require full military escorts to restore transmission lines and towers, with military personnel sometimes limiting work hours due to safety concerns.
Abdulaziz pointedly asked, “How can we deliver electricity to Nigerians under these terrible circumstances?”
In response to these infrastructure challenges, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, revealed an ambitious collaborative project with the World Bank and African Development Bank aimed at providing electricity to 50 million Nigerians by 2030.
The initiative, known as Mission 300, will focus on diverse electricity delivery methods including solar systems, mini and microgrids, and strategic grid extensions.
Adelabu acknowledged the practical limitations of extending the national grid to all regions, emphasizing that some areas may not be commercially viable for traditional grid connection.
However, he stressed the government’s commitment to delivering electricity as a fundamental democratic right.
The compact document for this ambitious project is expected to be signed by President Bola Tinubu in Tanzania in January 2025.
