Nigeria's National Grid Faces Systemic Failures in Power

The article by Dipo Baruwa discusses the recurring collapses of Nigeria's national grid, highlighting systemic failures within the power sector. It notes that while the generation capacity has increased significantly, with independent power projects contributing roughly 10,000 MW, the transmission infrastructure has not kept pace.

The total installed generation capacity exceeds 25,000 MW, yet average power delivery remains stubbornly below 5,000 MW due to operational weaknesses and structural mismatches. The article emphasizes that the primary constraint is no longer generation capacity but rather the inability of the transmission system to evacuate and manage available power.

It points out that the lack of coordination within the power sector and the absence of an integrated framework for reform have led to persistent underutilization of resources. Recent regulatory interventions suggest a growing recognition of these structural weaknesses, with efforts to build a more resilient system and allow large industrial consumers to bypass transmission bottlenecks.