FG approves new grid to curb collapses

The Federal Government has approved plans to construct a new Eastern-Western electricity grid to tackle recurring power grid collapses in Nigeria. Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, announced this at the recent HBSAN energy conference in Lagos. The government is preparing to begin the procurement process for the projects, with Nigerians expected to experience their benefits within two to three years.

Tegbe disclosed that the government has initiated a technical audit across the entire country to identify issues with the power sector and prioritize necessary interventions. "If you fix Lagos and you fix the Abuja corridors, you've solved more than half of the problem of Nigeria," Tegbe stated, emphasizing that addressing the grid's weaknesses requires building out the grid, not just repairing individual components.

The minister also revealed that the technical audit aims to ensure that interventions effectively address the root causes of the power sector's problems, rather than wasting funds on the wrong equipment. Tegbe attributed some of the challenges to the age of the infrastructure, noting that certain facilities date back several decades.

He pointed out that many transmission towers and lines were inherited from a bygone era of the Electricity Company of Nigeria, predating the National Electric Power Authority.