Adelabu Attributes Northern Power Outages to Sabotage, Promises Restoration in Three Days

Nigeria’s Power Minister, Adebayo Adelabu, has disclosed that the severe power outages across northern states are due to attacks and threats from bandits and terrorists targeting the ministry’s infrastructure, causing widespread disruption to the electricity supply.

The Minister clarified that these outages were not due to a grid collapse but resulted from external disturbances.

On Tuesday, October 29, 2024, Adelabu addressed the Senate Committee on Power at the National Assembly in Abuja, stressing the urgent need to protect the nation’s assets from sabotage by criminals.

He explained that the ministry is working with the National Security Adviser and other security agencies to restore stability in affected areas.

“What we’re experiencing, particularly in the north, is unfortunate and deeply troubling. This is not a grid collapse but rather sabotage and vandalism,” Adelabu explained.

He highlighted that a key transmission line supplying power from Shiroro to Mando and Kaduna was deliberately damaged by bandits. While similar issues were previously fixed without public awareness, this time, the scale of the destruction has been severe.

“Contractors working to repair the line have also been threatened by bandits, which is why we sought assistance from the National Security Adviser and other security forces to help restore the line,” he added.

Despite the challenges, Adelabu assured the Senate that power restoration is underway and should be complete within three days, as efforts are being intensified.

“We’ve identified an alternative route through Bauchi, which, although also vandalised, is more manageable. This route should allow us to restore electricity to the north in two to three days,” he noted.

Adelabu further informed the senators that Nigeria must make serious investments in the power sector to overcome its ongoing energy crisis and grid disturbances.

He added that the ministry is focusing on solar energy as a reliable alternative to the grid.

“Solar power is a viable option, especially in the northern states blessed with ample sunlight. With just 10 hours of sun, solar can effectively generate power, and we’re progressing with projects aiming to generate 100 MW in each of the 20 northern states,” Adelabu shared.

Additionally, he highlighted plans to decentralise the grid system, ensuring each state has its own grid.

“The global trend has shifted away from a centralised grid. We’re working towards regional grids and have submitted a memo to the President for approval. This includes creating a ‘Super Grid’ to serve as a backup, allowing multiple routes to transmit power across the country,” Adelabu concluded.