In response to a significant and extended power outage affecting 17 northern states, the Northern States Governors’ Forum convened an urgent meeting on Monday.
Hosted in Kaduna, the gathering brought together the governors of 19 states, along with prominent traditional rulers, to address the crippling blackout and explore diversified energy options to stabilize electricity in the region.
This two-week-long blackout has severely affected economic activities, particularly in the hardest-hit states of Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Gombe, and Katsina. The crisis is attributed to the recent vandalization of the Shiroro-Kaduna power transmission line, a key infrastructure providing electricity to northern Nigeria.
The damage has compounded an already fragile energy situation, leaving much of the region in the dark. Governor Muhammadu Yahaya of Gombe, serving as chairman of the forum, led the discussions with his counterparts, stressing the urgency of government intervention and energy diversification.
Joining the governors were esteemed traditional leaders, including Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, Shehu of Borno Umar El-Kanemi, and other northern monarchs.
Together, they issued a call to the Federal Government to repair the transmission lines and prevent future incidents through enhanced security and investment in new energy infrastructure.
In a formal communiqué, Governor Yahaya emphasized the gravity of the situation: “Forum resolves to call on the Federal Government and relevant agencies to urgently address the current electricity power blackout affecting most of the Northern States due to vandalisation of electricity transmission infrastructure.”
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has directed federal agencies and the Ministry of Power to expedite repairs. Concerned about the prolonged outage, Tinubu ordered security forces to protect workers from potential threats while fixing the damaged transmission line.
“The President has directed the National Security Adviser to work with the Army and Air Force to deploy adequate security personnel, including aerial cover, to protect the engineers who are fixing the damaged transmission line,” stated Tinubu’s adviser.
Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu also briefed Tinubu on progress made by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to address the issue. He confirmed that engineers, now protected by security forces, aim to complete repairs within days, depending on conditions.
The minister acknowledged the national grid’s outdated infrastructure as a long-term obstacle to stable energy delivery. He outlined plans for upgrades to critical transmission lines, including the Shiroro-Kaduna line, and said that alternative energy sources like solar could help sustain power for the northern states.
Additionally, to alleviate pressure on the overstretched national grid, the Federal Government has secured commitments from contractors and financiers to install 50 megawatts of solar power across each of the northern states, representing a potential investment of $1 billion to $2 billion.
