Nigeria’s electricity sector faces renewed scrutiny as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) announces plans for an investigative public hearing following another grid collapse on Saturday.
This latest incident, which plunged several cities into darkness, marks the sixth grid failure in 2024 alone, highlighting persistent challenges in the country’s power infrastructure.
NERC’s statement, posted on their X (formerly Twitter) handle, revealed the commission’s concern over “the recent escalating incidence of grid disturbances, which often lead to power outages in several states, thus reversing many of the gains recently achieved in reducing the infrastructure deficit and improving grid stability.”
The collapse on Saturday occurred around 08:15 a.m., with electricity companies promptly notifying consumers. NERC provided initial insights into the cause, stating, “Initial reports on the grid disturbance that occurred this morning indicate that today’s outage was triggered by an explosion of a current transformer at the Jebba transmission station at 0815 hrs and associated cascade of power plants shutdown arising from the loss of load.”
Despite the setback, NERC reported significant progress in restoring power, with 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) regaining electricity supply by 1300 hrs on the same day.
The commission outlined ongoing efforts to address systemic issues, including the unbundling of the System Operator function from the Transmission Company of Nigeria Plc. NERC expressed optimism that “an independent SO would engender more discipline in grid management and optimised investment in infrastructure.”
Regarding the upcoming public hearing, NERC emphasized its commitment to finding permanent solutions: “In pursuit of finding a permanent resolution to the challenges of the national grid, the commission shall shortly conduct an investigative public hearing with a view to identifying immediate and remote causes of recurring incidence of grid disturbances and widespread outages.”
The date and venue for this crucial hearing will be announced in national dailies, with NERC encouraging stakeholder participation to ensure a comprehensive review of the issues at hand.
This latest grid collapse has reignited discussions about Nigeria’s power sector challenges. Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the last election, voiced his concerns earlier in the week, describing the recurring grid failures as “a national shame” and attributing them to “the failure of leadership and policy implementation.”
The power sector’s struggles are not new, with challenges persisting despite the 2013 privatization of power generation and distribution companies.
The sector continues to grapple with issues including electricity policy enforcement, regulatory uncertainty, gas supply problems, transmission system constraints, and significant planning shortfalls.
