The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has announced that Nigeria is on course to add 150 MW to the national grid by the end of 2024. He disclosed this on Thursday while addressing State House correspondents after a meeting with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Adelabu attributed this planned upgrade to the successful implementation of the pilot phase of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI). He explained that the project is 80% complete, involving the importation, installation, and commissioning of 10 power transformers and 10 mobile substations. Most of these have been installed and commissioned, with only two remaining, which are expected to be operational by year-end.

The minister highlighted that the pilot phase has already added 750 MW to the transmission grid capacity, resulting in the relative grid stability currently being observed. He expressed confidence that the full completion of the pilot phase would contribute an additional 150 MW to the grid.

This statement comes amid persistent challenges with the national grid, which has collapsed 12 times this year, leaving millions of households in darkness. Experts have pointed to outdated infrastructure as a significant cause of the frequent grid failures.

However, Adelabu assured Nigerians that ongoing improvements would lead to better performance. He emphasized the need to overhaul the grid, describing it as old, fragile, and deteriorating, and stated that the completion of the Phase One transmission project would significantly enhance grid stability in the future.

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