Africa’s most populous nation faces perennial power shortages which have contributed to a downturn economic growth in the country.
Nigeria’s national grid collapsed for the fifth time this year in the early hours of Monday, highlighting the country’s inability to provide reliable power after raising tariffs for rich consumers by 230% only two weeks ago.
Its electricity sector faces a myriad of problems, including a failing grid, gas shortages, high debt and vandalism. The country has 12,500 megawatts of installed capacity, but produces only about a quarter of that, leaving many Nigerians reliant on expensive diesel-powered generators.
The Nigerian electricity regulator commission on April 3 approved an increase in tariffs for the 15% of consumers who use the most power, as the government tries to reduce the $2.6 billion worth of subsidies for the sector.
The Director of the Commission, Musiliu Oseni, defended the tariff increase saying it will put an end to grid collapses and pull investment into the sector.
The new tariff raised to 225 naira per kilowatt hour from 68 naira for only about 15% of its customers who will now enjoy a maximum of 20 hours of supply daily have raised concerns and uproar amongst many of customers.
Some analysts criticised the tariff increase because it pushes more power to wealthier consumers from the meagre 4,000MW available for distribution to over 200 million Nigerians from the grid.
According to the latest data from the Independent System Operator (ISO), the grid generated a meagre 266.50mw of electricity from Okpai, Geregu and Ibom power plants shortly after the collapse. National supply data showed the supply of power through the grid fell to around 50MW in the early hours of Monday.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria, overseeing the grid is yet to issue any statement on the cause of the latest development to the supply of power via the grid.
The Enugu and Jos Discos have confirmed collapse in a statement while they awaits full restoration from the National Control Centre in Osogbo.
