Unraveling the Enigma of Nigeria’s Electrical Grid Collapses, By Prince Charles Dickson PhD
A sage once said, a nation that cannot feed herself has lost her soul…
If one keeps silent, what is in one’s body keeps silent with one, in other words, if one does not disclose one’s problems one can expect no help.
We really want to hold on to hope, it is all we have left, we look into the crystal ball, it’s gloom, doom and yet there equally signs of hope and since hope is an addiction, we feed on it, get high on it, it’s the very least that we can do. There are few positives, so why give up.
We refuse to see the ‘shrink’—we just hold on. Hopefully we may get back a semblance of what we lost, after all in our parts we say, if one takes three years to prepare for one’s madness, when will one start biting people? We may not have really started biting and may not after all bite, so full madness is not anyway close.
The truth however is that if we have not lost it, we are gradually, steadily losing it—I dare ask, when was the last time, a Nigerian family drank garri either the Ijebu brand or the red Ibo type (which anyway is actually yellow), laced with the right amount of sugar, a sprinkling of milk, matched with fish, or well sifted groundnut.
If one has no money for lamp oil, one eats in the daytime, and one sweeps the house and goes to sleep in good time. One’s plans and actions should fit one’s resources. Today, first the water is not chilled because there is no electricity, those that have garri, do not have the luxury of just soaking it in water to drink–and how about fish, which is a luxury given the fact that for those that manage to have the fish will allow it go for the soup pot.
If the monkey is not certain about a tree, it does not climb it. One should not embark on projects one cannot accomplish. But we have continually kept at the same actions expecting a miracle. Matter of fact, it is almost safe to conclude, we are in a state of being mad; Insanity, senseless folly—acts that bother on the absurd, aberrations, delirium, dementia…
When leadership and the led act, you can see the traces lunacy, preposterous, psychotic, senseless, unsound, unstable, unbalanced and mentally disturbed or questionable strands, from the kind of music we listen to, to the kind of lies we are told by our leaders and those we believe to.
Now, before you think that this is about food, it is not about food, and sure as the title suggests, it is about our electricity and if we are talking about electricity it is food, an irony you dare say…
Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy and most populous nation, is grappling with a perennial problem that threatens its economic growth, social stability, and national security: the frequent collapse of its electrical grid has become an abiku matter. I have chosen to use the Nigerian Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (NIEEE) and the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) positions to delve into the madness and lunacy of our predicament, and propose actionable solutions to rescue Nigeria from the shackles of darkness. Not that I think that any of what I say is new or that we will see the need to tow the right path, but let it be on record that we spoke and we were not silent.
Between April and July 2024, Nigeria’s national grid suffered 4-6 catastrophic collapses, leaving millions without electricity. This disturbing trend is attributed to the recent tariff review of Band A consumers, resulting in reduced energy consumption and an imbalance in power flow. The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has also cited security challenges as a major obstacle in repairing critical transmission lines, exacerbating the blackout in Northern Nigeria. Meanwhile, Joy Ogaji, Managing Director of the Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC), disclosed that Nigeria has experienced 162 cases of grid collapse between 2013 and the present, so who do we really believe?
Diagnosing the Problem
The NIEEE identifies the lack of adherence to basic power principles and best practices as the primary cause of the grid’s unreliability. This includes:
1. Inadequate Infrastructure: Nigeria’s transmission infrastructure is antiquated and ill-equipped to handle the nation’s growing energy demands.
2. Poor Maintenance Practices: Regular maintenance is crucial to prevent equipment failures, yet this aspect is often neglected.
3. Flawed Tariff Policy: The recent tariff review has led to reduced energy consumption, disrupting the delicate balance of power flow.
To overcome the current challenges, the NIEEE recommends:
1. Infrastructure Upgrades: Modernizing transmission infrastructure to accommodate growing energy demands.
2. Better Maintenance Practices: Implementing regular maintenance schedules to prevent equipment failures.
3. Reconsideration of Tariff Policy Regimes: Reviewing and adjusting tariff structures to ensure a balanced power flow.
4. Robust Protection and Control Schemes: Implementing advanced protection systems to detect and respond to grid disturbances.
5. Reactive Compensation Schemes: Deploying technologies to stabilize voltage levels and prevent collapse.
Be assured that none of these would be done, like in one of those texts that I read, Nigeria is a failed state that is working, so why do we need to do anything sane or right?
The fact is that the consequences of Nigeria’s electrical grid collapses extend far beyond economic losses. The lack of reliable electricity continues to hamper economic growth, inhibiting businesses, industries, and innovation.
Do we know the number of deaths recorded as these outages compromise and undermine healthcare services.
.
We have refused to rescue Nigeria from the abyss of darkness, by fostering stakeholder collaboration: The federal government, regulatory agencies, and private sector players must work in tandem to address infrastructure, regulatory, and security challenges. Sadly this is not the case!
We have equally despite billions in dollars refused investment in infrastructure, funds to modernize transmission infrastructure and implement robust protection systems are stolen.
Our policy reforms have not balanced power flow and all efforts at incentivizing investments in the sector are whitewashed ponzi schemes.
Our darkness is same as Ali has to be a Muslim, no longer a boy, it is mentally disturbing that Mariam cannot be Christian; we have criminally become psychotic forgetting that we can never have a Christian or Muslim Nigeria, just as a Muslim-Muslim ticket won’t give light and it is in our best interest to sit, and talk on how can we get greed out of our national grid.
Yams cut for porridge leave no remnants sticking to the peels.
Nigeria’s electrical grid collapses are a symptom of a broader systemic failure. It is imperative that we adopt a comprehensive approach, addressing technical, regulatory, and security challenges. By doing so, we can restore reliability, ensure a stable and efficient electricity supply. The states too must ungreed from the grid and do the needful, the legislation is there already.
The time for action is now. Nigeria cannot afford to remain in darkness. We must collectively shine a light on the path forward, embracing innovative solutions and collaborative efforts to electrify the nation and propel it toward a brighter future. May Nigeria win, but—Only time will time.
