For Fatai Adekunle, a welder in Lagos, the frequent collapse of Nigeria’s national grid is more than an inconvenience—it’s a direct attack on his livelihood.
“I can’t work without electricity, and diesel is too expensive. Each day the power goes off, I lose money,” he said, shaking his head in frustration.
Fatai’s story mirrors that of millions of Nigerians whose lives are disrupted each time the national grid collapses.
In 2024 alone, the grid failed 12 times, plunging large parts of the country into darkness. Despite a recent tariff hike for Band A customers—those meant to enjoy the most stable electricity supply—the power situation continues to deteriorate.
These persistent blackouts raise critical questions about Nigeria’s development trajectory and its ability to deliver basic services to its citizens.
According to experts, the grid frequently fails due to a combination of aging infrastructure, poor maintenance, and an unstable balance between electricity supply and demand.
Read also: National grid collapses fourth time in three months, Nigerians in darkness
Many of Nigeria’s transmission lines and substations are decades old, making them susceptible to failures. The system often operates outside its designated safe frequency range, triggering automatic shutdowns to protect it from more severe damage.
While Nigeria’s installed power generation capacity is 13,000 megawatts, only about 4,000 megawatts are reliably distributed. This inefficiency is further compounded by gas shortages that limit the output of thermal power plants.
The cost of power failures
Frequent power outages have far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s economy and social well-being.
According to the World Bank, the country loses over $29 billion annually due to unreliable electricity.
For SMEs, which make up 96% of businesses in Nigeria, unreliable electricity can mean the difference between survival and closure.
“Every time I buy fuel for my generator, I know I’m spending money I could use for my family,” Fatai, earlier quoted, lamented.
Larger industries are not spared either. Manufacturers face soaring operational costs as they depend on expensive diesel-powered generators to keep their factories running.
For many Nigerians, the frustration goes beyond the outages themselves to the lack of accountability and clear solutions.
“We’ve been hearing promises about fixing power for decades,” said Tunji Alao, a trader in Lagos. “Every administration says the same thing, but nothing changes. It’s like they’ve accepted that darkness is part of our lives.”
Some, however, are finding ways to adapt. Renewable energy solutions, such as solar panels, are becoming increasingly popular among middle- and upper-class Nigerians.
Yet, these solutions remain out of reach for the vast majority, who cannot afford the upfront costs. “I want to buy solar, but where will I find N3 million for a system that can power my shop?” asked Yusuf.
Read also: National Grid collapse and lesson from Edo-Ossiomo power plant
A setback for development
Beyond economic losses, Nigeria’s energy crisis undermines critical development goals. Hospitals struggle to keep life-saving equipment operational; schools cancel classes due to poor lighting, and students are forced to study by candlelight.
In rural areas, where access to alternative power sources is limited, the situation is even more dire.
“How can we talk about digital education or modern healthcare when we don’t even have consistent power?” asked Olalekan, a middle-aged teacher. “Electricity is the foundation of development. Without it, we’re stuck.”
The environmental impact is equally concerning. Generators, a staple in Nigerian households and businesses, emit toxic fumes, contributing to respiratory diseases and environmental degradation. This dependence on generators also elevates the risk of noise pollution and fire hazards.
For households, outages disrupt essential activities such as food storage and lighting, reducing the quality of life.
On a broader scale, the unstable power supply deters foreign investors, further hampering Nigeria’s industrial and economic growth. Without reliable electricity, sectors such as manufacturing, technology, and services remain underdeveloped, perpetuating dependence on oil revenues, analysts have argued.
Experts and policymakers have proposed solutions to address these challenges: upgrading the grid’s aging infrastructure is critical, with significant investments needed to build new substations and replace outdated transmission lines.
Decentralising power generation and distribution under the newly signed Electricity Act could alleviate pressure on the national grid and improve reliability.
Encouraging renewable energy projects, including solar and wind, is another pathway to providing off-grid solutions for underserved areas. Expanding the deployment of prepaid meters can enhance revenue collection and fund necessary upgrades.
In the meantime, Nigerians continue to navigate a reality where darkness looms large over their lives and futures. As the nation inches toward 2025, the question remains: will Nigeria ever conquer its energy crisis, or will its citizens be forced to live—and hope—in the dark?
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