Power
Nigeria plans eastern and western grid development to curb outages
The Federal Government has approved the creation of new eastern and western electricity grids alongside a nationwide technical audit to address frequent power system collapses.
Key points
- Procurement for new eastern and western grids will begin soon.
- A nationwide technical audit is underway to identify transmission network faults.
- Lagos and Abuja have been identified as critical corridors for urgent power interventions.
What happened
According to Legit.ng, the Nigerian government has secured approval to build new eastern and western electricity grids to mitigate recurring nationwide blackouts. The Minister of Power, Chief Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, announced the initiative during an industry event in Lagos hosted by the Harvard Business School Association of Nigeria.
Tegbe stated that procurement processes for the transmission expansion projects are being prepared. He noted that infrastructure improvements could take between two and three years to deliver tangible results for consumers.
Technical audit and priority zones
In addition to grid expansion, authorities are conducting a comprehensive technical audit of the transmission network. This assessment aims to pinpoint vulnerabilities and determine whether specific assets require rehabilitation, maintenance, or complete replacement before funds are allocated.
The country has been divided into three distinct energy zones to streamline interventions. The Lagos and Abuja corridors have been marked as critical areas, where resolving transmission bottlenecks could significantly alleviate national supply shortages. Furthermore, the government and the Lagos State administration are planning a pilot program to establish 24-hour electricity zones, starting in Lagos before expanding elsewhere.
Aging infrastructure
Tegbe pointed out that parts of the current transmission network have been operational for decades, with certain towers and lines dating back to the Electricity Corporation of Nigeria era preceding the National Electric Power Authority. He noted that some structures are approximately 50 years old, contributing heavily to ongoing grid instability.
Original reporting
This article draws on the following reports. Read them in full on the publishers’ sites.
Context from CEII
Grids decide whether generation becomes power that homes and businesses can rely on. Generation mix, transmission and distribution losses, and tariffs together shape reliability and the case for investment.
62.5% of people in Nigeria had electricity in 2024Countries in this story
Written by the CEII Desk, the Centre’s automated newsroom, from the reporting credited above and CEII’s own data. Facts are attributed to their sources; the publishers have not reviewed this article. Spotted an error? Tell our editors.
