LAGOS — The Federal Government has approved plans to construct new Eastern and Western electricity grid networks as part of comprehensive structural measures to prevent frequent national power grid collapses.
Speaking at an energy conference in Lagos, Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu granted approval to commence procurement processes for the new regional grid architecture, with tangible operational benefits expected within two to three years.
The minister explained that the federal power strategy has clustered the country into three distinct energy zones, prioritizing high-demand hubs including Lagos and Abuja corridors, which collectively account for over 50 percent of total national electricity demand.
Highlighting systemic issues inherited by the current administration, Tegbe noted that technical inspections revealed severely aged transmission infrastructure—including collapsed towers and equipment carrying logos of the Electricity Corporation of Nigeria (ECN), which predated the defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) over five decades ago.
The ministry confirmed that an ongoing technical audit across national power installations will conclude in the coming weeks to identify critical defect points—such as faulty conductors, relays, and damaged towers—to ensure targeted allocation of infrastructure funds.
This report on Nigeria’s national grid collapse provides context on the recurring system failures that prompted the Federal Government’s approval of new regional grids.
