Peter Obi slams national grid collapse, calls it 'national shame'

…demands power sector reform

In the wake of yet another collapse of Nigeria’s national power grid, Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra State and presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, has voiced sharp criticism of the government’s failure to address the country’s persistent power crisis.

According to a statement revealed on his official X page, Obi described the grid collapse as a “national shame,” condemning the repeated disruption of electricity supply and the failure of leadership to provide sustainable solutions.

“This recurring disaster is a glaring testament to the failure of leadership and policy implementation at the highest levels,” Obi said, reflecting the frustrations of millions of Nigerians who are accustomed to living without reliable electricity.

The collapse, which left large parts of the nation in darkness, further exposes the fragility of Nigeria’s power infrastructure. Obi warned that such instability has profound socio-economic consequences, hindering productivity and stifling the growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs)—the backbone of the country’s job creation efforts and GDP growth.

He highlighted Nigeria’s struggle to maintain a steady power supply, contrasting it with the successes of other African nations. “South Africa, with just 30% of our population, generates over 40,000 megawatts of electricity, while Egypt with half our population generates the same amount,” Obi noted. “In stark contrast, Nigeria, with a much larger population, generates less than 10,000 megawatts—often disrupted by grid failures.”