THE national electricity grid will remain prone to collapse due to the government’s inability to repair a crucial transmission line in northern Nigeria owing to persistent insecurity.
This is according to the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, who spoke during the 2025 budget defense session with the Senate Joint Committee on Power.
Adelabu highlighted the impact of the damaged Shiroro-Kaduna-Mando line, which has been out of service since a vandalism incident in October 2024. This failure has placed immense pressure on the grid, leading to frequent collapses.
“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,” he said on Monday.
“This is why our grid is so fragile, as it relies on a single line, causing unnecessary strain.”
The minister emphasized that while grid collapses are expected to continue, the government is focused on reducing their frequency and ensuring quick restoration times.