Bamidele Famoofo
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) will hold a public hearing to address the persistent failures of the national electricity grid, which have severely impacted power supply across the country.
In a statement released on Monday, NERC confirmed that the hearing will hold on Thursday, October 24, in Abuja.
The session, according to the commission, will focus on key issues surrounding the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), particularly the ongoing challenges with grid stability.
The commission expressed deep concern about the increasing frequency of disruptions to the national grid, noting that these outages have not only caused widespread power cuts, but have also undermined recent efforts to improve the nation’s electricity infrastructure and ensure grid reliability.
“Under Section 48, subsection 1 of the Electricity Act 2023 (Amended), NERC is required to hold public hearings on critical matters related to the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
“NERC has observed with growing alarm the rise in grid disturbances, leading to widespread outages in several states, effectively undoing recent progress made in addressing infrastructure deficits and improving grid performance,” it said.
The commission invited stakeholders from the NESI, civil society organisations, and the general public to attend the hearing, which will take place as follows:
Date: Thursday, October 24, 2024
Venue: Commission’s Hearing Room, Fourth Floor, Plot 1387, Cadastral Zone A00, Central Business District, Abuja
Time: 10:00 a.m. prompt.
The hearing comes after the national grid collapsed three times in seven days, leaving the entire country in darkness.
Speaking on the repeated failures of the national grid, Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, acknowledged that the grid’s frequent breakdowns are largely due to outdated infrastructure.
He stressed the need for increased investment in power infrastructure to prevent future collapses.
Adelabu also advocated for the decentralisation of Nigeria’s power sector, suggesting that establishing multiple regional grids could prevent a failure in one area from plunging the whole country into darkness.
