Nigeria’s Power Grid Collapses 105 Times In 10 Years Despite $4.36bn In Loans

Despite significant investments in Nigeria’s power sector, the national grid has collapsed about 105 times under the administrations of President Bola Tinubu and his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari. Findings revealed that Nigeria secured approximately $4.36 billion in loans from the World Bank over the past decade to tackle its power sector challenges, yet the persistent grid failures continue to affect the country.

Although not all the World Bank loans have been fully disbursed, financial support from the Federal Government and other multilateral agencies has poured billions of naira into the power sector. Despite these efforts, grid collapses have become frequent, leading to widespread blackouts that disrupt businesses and social activities across the nation. Both Buhari and Tinubu had made promises to improve the power sector, but the results remain underwhelming.

Data from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) indicate that the grid collapsed 93 times during Buhari’s eight-year tenure, with breakdowns occurring almost every year, from three times in 2015 to 14 times between 2020 and 2023. The Tinubu administration has also witnessed its share of collapses, with 12 incidents recorded over the past 16 months. These collapses, which occur when the grid’s supply-demand balance falters, continue to highlight the fragility of Nigeria’s electricity infrastructure.

In September 2023, the grid collapsed three times within five days, leaving Nigerians in darkness and triggering widespread frustration. The technical reasons for these collapses, according to NERC, stem from instability in grid frequency, which can lead to partial or full system failures when supply and demand are misaligned.

With grid collapses continuing under the current administration, questions persist about the effectiveness of the government’s interventions in addressing Nigeria’s chronic power problems, despite the substantial financial and political resources committed to the sector.