The Nigerian government’s inability to fix a vital transmission line in northern Nigeria because of ongoing insecurity would keep the country’s electrical infrastructure vulnerable to failure.
Adebayo Adelabu, the Minister of Power, made this claim when he addressed the Senate Joint Committee on Power during the 2025 budget defence session.
Adelabu emphasised the consequences of the damaged Shiroro-Kaduna-Mando line, which has not been operational since October 2024 due to vandalism. The grid has been under tremendous strain as a result of this malfunction, which has caused regular collapses.
Among the two main lines that sent electricity to the north was the Kaduna-Shiroro-Mando line. Although it has been restored, the second, the Ugwuaji-Makurdi line, was likewise vandalised. But because of insecurity, the Shiroro-Mando-Kaduna line is still down, he stated on Monday.
“Our grid’s reliance on a single line, which creates needless strain, is the reason it is so fragile.”
Although grid collapses are predicted to persist, the minister underlined that the government is committed to lowering their frequency and guaranteeing speedy recovery times.
He emphasised that tackling vandalism, which continues to be one of the biggest issues facing the power industry, requires cooperation, particularly with the office of National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu.
A budget of N229 billion of the N2 trillion allocated to the ministry and its agencies was also disclosed by the minister.
To improve billing transparency and lower systemic fraud, he disclosed a N700 billion fund designated for the Power Metering Initiative (PMI), which aims to drastically close the metering gap by the end of next month.
“Our goal is to shorten the time it takes to restore power, but we acknowledge the problems with whole or partial grid collapses. To do this, we are actively working with security agencies,” Adelabu stated.
Additionally, the minister revealed intentions to spend N36 billion on transformer distribution throughout the six geopolitical zones.
Adelabu suggested installing solar lights and Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras on national highways as part of initiatives to combat insecurity. These measures would improve security and safeguard vital infrastructure by tracking the movements of criminal elements such as vandals.
The budget for 2025 includes the plan under a N200 billion subheading.
