Why the Power Grid Always Collapses and How We Can Boost Power Supply in Nigeria

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Why the Power Grid Always Collapses and How We Can Boost Power Supply in Nigeria

The persistent collapse of Nigeria’s power grid got me thinking: why does this keep happening? And why is the power supply in Nigeria so unreliable? Besides oil, which is a lifeline in our daily lives, electricity is the other essential pillar. If crude oil derivatives are affordable, and if electricity were consistently available, many of the country's economic problems would begin to fix themselves.

A Brief Overview of Power Supply in Nigeria

There are three major phases involved in the electricity supply we receive at home: power generation, transmission, and distribution.

Power Generation

How is electricity generated?

Michael Faraday introduced the electromagnetic law of induction, which, to simplify, means that when a magnet passes through a conductor, electricity flows. 

There are different ways to generate power, but in Nigeria, we rely primarily on thermal and hydroelectric sources.

Hydroelectric power generation uses water, while thermal generation involves using gas. Our dams have turbines and hydroelectric generators that work together to produce electricity, while thermal systems rely on gas supply to fire the system and generate electricity.

If power is unavailable in this phase, it’s often due to gas shortages for thermal systems, or insufficient water levels in the dams for hydroelectric plants. Outside of maintenance issues, these are the main challenges facing power generation in Nigeria. We currently have several gas-powered plants, but many are either non-operational or only partially operational. If all were running at full capacity, Nigeria could generate around 12,522 MW of electricity, compared to the 5,000 MW currently being produced.

Power Transmission

Once electricity is generated, it needs to be transmitted via cables to feeders, transformers, and finally to distribution companies. The voltage needs to be just right for electricity to travel safely along these lines. In fact, if you stand close to some high-voltage lines, you can literally hear the electricity traveling through them.

Nigeria’s power transmission network can currently handle about 10,000 MW of electricity. Expanding this network to transmit an additional 10,000 MW across the country would require billions of dollars in investment. Previous governments have invested billions of dollars in the power sector, but the results we see today are the outcome of those long-standing efforts.

Power Distribution

The final stage is distribution, which delivers electricity to homes and industries. Distribution companies have transformers and feeders to step up or step down the voltage received from transmission companies to a level that homes and industries can use. Meters are used to measure how much electricity is consumed, and pricing takes into account the costs of generation, transmission, and distribution.

What Causes Grid Collapse?

Along the power supply chain, from generation to distribution, there is a specific range of frequencies that need to be maintained. Think of it like a supply-and-demand scenario—if supply matches demand, the grid will remain stable. However, this rarely happens due to losses that occur while electricity travels along cables.

Grid failures often happen due to imbalances, but underfrequency (low supply compared to demand) or overfrequency (high supply compared to demand) can both destabilize the system, and the grid can automatically shut down to protect itself. Maintenance lapses, equipment failures, and sudden shutdowns of power plants, in instances of strikes, when workers impulsively shut down a power transmission plant without informing the authorities, can cause an imbalance that triggers a shutdown. 


Other Sources of Power Supply

Ultimately, a government’s vision and commitment to problem-solving determine the success of major projects like power generation. Governments in Nigeria have allocated hundreds of billions of naira to the power sector, yet many plants remain non-operational, and maintenance is often lacking. The focus shouldn't solely be on building new power plants but on optimizing the ones we already have.

That’s why many Nigerians rely on generators, which shift the nation’s dependence even further toward oil. These generators run on fuel derived from crude oil. Recently, solar energy has gained popularity, but without batteries to store solar power, achieving 24/7 electricity is still a challenge. After all, the sun doesn’t shine at night or during heavy rainfall.


The Way Forward

The more I understand how the country functions, the more I realize that it’s not just about pouring in more money. It’s about having knowledgeable manpower, making thoughtful decisions, and ensuring policy sustainability. Sure, the facilities need a revival, but even if funds are released, do we have the skilled workforce to get the job done? I believe Nigerians know what to do. But we need the willpower to push through, and we need to believe that there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Otherwise, it’s tough to endure when there’s no hope in sight.


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