The Nigerian Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has stated that the country’s national electricity grid will likely continue to experience collapses. He attributed this ongoing issue to the government’s inability to repair a critical transmission line in the northern region due to persistent security challenges.
Adelabu made this disclosure on Monday during the 2025 budget defense session held with the Senate Joint Committee on Power. During the session, he explained how the damaged infrastructure has had a significant impact on the stability of the national grid, making it vulnerable to frequent breakdowns.
According to the Minister, the Shiroro-Kaduna-Mando transmission line, which has been non-functional since October 2024, is one of the main contributors to the grid’s fragility. This key line was damaged during an act of vandalism and has yet to be restored, as ongoing insecurity in the area prevents repair work from being carried out safely.
Adelabu elaborated on the consequences of this situation, stating, “The Kaduna-Shiroro-Mando line was one of the two major lines transmitting power to the north.
“The second, the Ugwuaji-Makurdi line, was also vandalized but has been repaired.
“The Shiroro-Mando-Kaduna line, however, remains down due to insecurity.
“This is why our grid is so fragile, as it relies on a single line, causing unnecessary strain,” he said.
The damaged transmission line is a critical component of the nation’s power infrastructure, and its absence has left the grid overly dependent on the remaining transmission line. This imbalance increases the likelihood of system-wide failures.
Adelabu also noted that while efforts are made to restore power quickly after each collapse, the long-term solution lies in addressing the root causes, such as ensuring the security of vital transmission lines.
