Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, has attributed frequent grid collapses to vandalism and lack of maintenance in the past.
Adelabu, receiving the report of the committee set up to address grid collapses in Abuja on Wednesday, stressed that most 2024 incidents resulted from vandalism and theft of power equipment.
He said lack of good maintenance and external factors also contributed to the collapses.
“The Federal Government is taking the issue seriously, requiring urgent attention,”he said.
Adelabu assured that the ministry would review the report, make amendments, and submit it to President Bola Tinubu
The six-member committee, chaired by Mrs Nafisat Ali, Executive Director of the Independent System Operator (ISO), identified specific causes for recent collapses.
Ali said the causes for recent collapse included shattering of lightning arrestors in Jebba and Oshogbo transmission stations on Oct. 14, and explosion of a CT at Jebba Station, Oct. 19.
She said that the committee recommended reviewing relaying philosophy and settings within one month, enhancing capacity development for Maintenance and System Operator staff and testing existing equipment at critical nodes.
Ali said the committee emphasised that recommendations with financial implications would be included in the 2025 budget or addressed through a supplementary budget.
She added that the committee commended colleagues and stakeholders for swift responses to grid collapses, ensuring no collapse lasted over 24 hours.
