The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, announced on Monday that electricity will be restored within five days to 17 northern states that experienced a blackout following the vandalization of the Shiroro-Kaduna transmission line.
Addressing State House correspondents after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja, Mr. Adelabu explained that the Shiroro-Kaduna line is a key power route supplying the northern region. Its destruction disrupted electricity in the affected states.
“The President has directed the National Security Adviser, Chief of Defence Staff, and the Army and Air Force Chiefs to ensure adequate security for the repair teams,” the minister said. “With proper security, TCN staff and contractors will be able to safely access the site and carry out the repairs.”
Mr. Adelabu appealed to residents of the affected northern states for patience, assuring them that power would soon be restored. He urged citizens to protect critical infrastructure like the national grid to prevent further disruptions.
He also revealed that the Federal Executive Council had previously approved plans to upgrade the Shiroro-Kaduna line, one of the country’s oldest power transmission systems. Upon completion, this upgrade is expected to improve the stability of electricity supply across the North.
In response to concerns over customer billing during the outage, Mr. Adelabu promised to meet with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and power distribution companies to ensure residents are not charged for the period of the blackout.
The minister also commented on recent power challenges, including two recent grid collapses caused by a transformer explosion at the Jebba power station. “The transformer that exploded was 47 years old,” he said, “and the national grid itself is more than 50 years old. Many of its transmission lines are weak, with failing towers, outdated substations, and aging transformers.”
He acknowledged that efforts to modernize the grid were underway but cautioned that the transformation would take time. “We can’t replace everything overnight,” he said. “Until we fully overhaul the system, we will continue to manage it to minimize disturbances.”
Mr. Adelabu concluded by emphasizing the need for collective responsibility in safeguarding the grid, underscoring the importance of uninterrupted power to national development.
