Nigeria Approves New Eastern and Western Power Grids to Reduce National Grid Collapses
The Federal Government has approved plans to develop new eastern and western electricity grids as part of efforts to reduce the frequent collapse of Nigeria’s national power grid and improve electricity reliability.
Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe disclosed the plan at an energy conference in Lagos, saying the government is preparing to begin procurement for the projects. He said Nigerians could begin to see the benefits within the next two to three years.
The planned expansion is part of a wider strategy to strengthen electricity transmission and address weaknesses across the country’s ageing power infrastructure.
photo credit: TCN
FG plans Eastern and Western power grids
Tegbe said President Bola Tinubu had approved the commencement of the process to build out the eastern and western grids.
The minister said the government had divided the country into three energy zones to help identify areas requiring urgent intervention and determine how resources should be deployed.
He said fixing key corridors around Lagos and Abuja would address a significant portion of the country’s electricity challenges, but stressed that improving operational efficiency alone would not be enough.
The transmission grid would also need to be expanded and strengthened.
National Grid restored after latest collapse
Technical audit to identify transmission problems
Before major interventions begin, the government is carrying out a technical audit of power infrastructure across Nigeria.
Tegbe said the audit is intended to identify the specific problems affecting different parts of the electricity network so that resources can be directed to the right areas.
He explained that the government does not want to replace equipment such as transformers when the actual problem involves conductors, relays, insulators or transmission towers.
The audit is expected to be completed within the next few weeks, after which the government says it will prioritise the areas requiring urgent attention.
Ageing infrastructure remains a major challenge
The minister also pointed to the age of some of Nigeria’s electricity infrastructure, saying parts of the transmission network date back several decades.
According to Tegbe, some transmission towers and lines have deteriorated or collapsed, highlighting the scale of the infrastructure challenge inherited by the current administration.
He recalled seeing infrastructure carrying the logo of the Electricity Corporation of Nigeria (ECN) during a site visit. ECN predates the former National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), underscoring how old some components of the country’s electricity network are.
Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe
The Federal Government is expected to proceed with the procurement process for the eastern and western grids, alongside the ongoing nationwide technical audit.
The government expects the new grid infrastructure to begin delivering benefits within two to three years, although the supplied material does not provide a detailed project timeline, cost or specific capacity for either grid.
For Nigerians facing repeated power disruptions, the significance of the plan will ultimately depend on how quickly the infrastructure weaknesses identified by the audit are addressed and how effectively the new transmission arrangements improve the stability of electricity supply.
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