Nigerians urge Federal Government to address National Grid failures amid economic concerns

Following a series of power outages that have impacted businesses and threatened economic stability, some Nigerians are calling on the Federal Government to take immediate action regarding the persistent collapse of the National Grid.

The grid, which generates approximately 4,500 MW of electricity for over 200 million people, has faced multiple collapses this week alone. Mr. Augustine Nnadozie expressed concern, stating, “The situation is not encouraging.

This is the third time the National Grid has collapsed this week, and I stand to be corrected.

We want those managing the grid to find lasting solutions to the problem.

I urge the National Assembly and Federal Government to take action to address this issue.”

Joy Okoye, a trader at Garki Modern Market in Abuja, shared her frustrations over the ongoing power failures, which have resulted in significant losses for her business. “The situation in the country is not funny at all. We can’t buy fuel to power the generator.

There’s no electricity, and all my seafood has defrosted, which is a significant setback. The government needs to intervene and find a permanent solution to this issue,” she lamented.

Haruna Adamu, a Point of Sale (PoS) operator, echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the adverse effects on his business.

He noted that the cost of charging his devices has skyrocketed from N50 to N200 due to the power shortages. “I am sad. My two PoS devices are down because there is no power to operate them.

If you go to vendors, they will charge you N200 instead of N50. What can I do?

The government needs to help us. I am a graduate, and I operate a PoS business because there are no job opportunities.

Now, I feel discouraged,” he said.

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According to Reports , 17 northern states, including Niger and Kwara, have been without electricity supply for the past two weeks, severely disrupting business activities and making life increasingly difficult for residents in the affected areas.

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Mr. Adebayo Adelabu, the Minister of Power, addressed the situation, attributing the blackouts in the northern region to vandalism of the Shiroro-Kaduna transmission line.

He assured that electricity would be restored soon, with repairs expected to take three to five days. “Mr. President has instructed the National Security Adviser and military chiefs to provide security for the workers who will repair the damaged line.

With adequate security in place, the Transmission Company of Nigeria staff and contractors will feel confident to complete the repairs,” he stated.

Adelabu appealed to residents of the northern states to be patient, emphasizing the importance of collective efforts to protect the national grid from further vandalism. “Very soon, electricity will be restored,” he promised.