In an effort to resolve persistent collapses of the national power grid, the Federal Government has greenlit the development of a new Eastern-Western energy transmission infrastructure.
The initiative was announced by the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, during the recent HBSAN energy conference in Lagos, where he outlined strategic measures to address foundational weaknesses within the country’s electrical grid.
Tegbe indicated that the government is preparing to commence the procurement phase, with citizens projected to experience the tangible benefits of the infrastructure projects within two to three years.
He further revealed that a comprehensive technical audit has been launched nationwide to diagnose underlying faults within the power sector and establish clear operational priorities.
“We have clustered Nigeria into three energy zones. The first one is the one that demands 50 per cent. If you fix Lagos and you fix the Abuja corridors, you’ve solved more than half of the problem of Nigeria. Because you can’t do that alone based on operational efficiency, you also have to build out your grid.
The Minister noted that presidential approval has been granted to initiate the development of the Eastern-Western power grid, explaining that procurement processes are underway and tangible results will materialize within a timeframe of two to three years.
He added that the comprehensive technical audit of the electrical network is designed to identify structural defects and pinpoint specific facilities requiring urgent repair or replacement.
Backstory…
The problem became particularly visible in 2024, when the national power grid suffered multiple disturbances that triggered widespread blackouts. On October 19, 2024, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission said a disturbance had been triggered by an explosion involving a current transformer at the Jebba transmission station, followed by the shutdown of power plants.
The Federal Government has since pursued broader electricity-sector reforms. In 2023, the Electricity Act opened the door for states to establish their own electricity markets, while the government adopted a National Integrated Electricity Policy in May 2025 to guide improvements in generation, transmission and distribution.
In 2026 alone, the grid has collapsed at least twice and a number of collapse also recorded in 2025 resulting in widespread blackout.
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