AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
The Federal Government says it has significantly improved the stability of Nigeria’s power grid, following the addition of 700 megawatts in transmission capacity.
Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, made this known during a meeting with the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Gautier Mignot, in Abuja over the weekend.
According to a statement released on Sunday by the minister’s media aide, Bolaji Tunji, Adelabu attributed the progress to the Presidential Power Initiative, which secured $2.3 billion in funding to overhaul and upgrade the country’s transmission infrastructure.
He noted that the national grid used to be unstable and prone to collapse once electricity supply exceeded 5,000MW. However, nearly 90 per cent of the new capacity has now been installed and is already in operation—leading to a more stable grid.
“We have installed almost 90 per cent of the new equipment, and they are fully operational. This has boosted transmission capacity by over 700 megawatts, contributing to the current relative stability of the grid,” Adelabu said.
He added that the pilot phase of the initiative is nearing completion, involving the importation, installation, commissioning, and energisation of 10 power transformers and another 10 mobile substations across the country.
“In the past, whenever power supply on the grid reached 5,000MW, it would become unstable and eventually collapse. But now, we’re seeing consistent supply levels ranging between 5,000MW, 7,000MW, and even 8,000MW. This is not by chance—it’s a result of government interventions,” he added.
Adelabu also highlighted two key milestones achieved under the current administration in the power sector. The first, he said, is the highest-ever average daily power consumption in Nigeria, which has surpassed 20,000 kilowatt-hours. The second is the record-breaking transmission and distribution of 5,801.63MW of electricity—exceeding the previous peak set in 2021.
In addition, he announced that the country has reached a new milestone in power generation, with a reliable capacity of 6,003MW.
