Ongoing Efforts to Enhance Nigeria’s National Grid Management

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has announced its ongoing discussions regarding the transfer of national grid management to Independent System Operators. This initiative aligns with the provisions of the Electricity Act of 2023 and aims to establish greater discipline in grid management, thereby enhancing the reliability of electricity supply.

Recently, Nigeria’s national grid experienced yet another collapse, marking the third such occurrence within a week. According to reports, the latest incident was caused by an explosion at the Jebba transmission station. In light of this disruption, NERC has provided updates indicating significant progress in restoring power, with supply reinstated in 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory by Saturday afternoon.

NERC has expressed concern over the increasing frequency of grid disturbances, which have led to substantial outages and threatened the progress made in improving infrastructure and grid stability. The Commission confirmed that the recent disturbance was initiated by an explosion of a current transformer at the Jebba transmission station, occurring at 08:15 hours, which subsequently triggered a cascade of power plant shutdowns due to load loss.

In response to these challenges, NERC has committed to conducting an investigative public hearing. This hearing aims to uncover both the immediate and root causes behind the recurring grid disturbances and widespread outages. Details regarding the date and venue of this public hearing will be communicated through national dailies, encouraging active participation from stakeholders.

The proactive measures taken under the Electricity Act 2023 indicate a decisive approach towards addressing Nigeria’s electricity management challenges, fostering an environment conducive to optimized infrastructure investment and improved service delivery.