Nigeria Grapples with Aging Infrastructure in Power Sector, Minister Reveals.
In a recent inter-ministerial briefing held in Abuja, Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, highlighted the pressing issue of Nigeria’s aging power infrastructure, revealing that some transformers installed as far back as the 1960s are still in use in certain parts of the country.
During the briefing at the International Conference Centre, Minister Adelabu emphasized the significant challenge posed by the deterioration of infrastructure in the nation’s power sector. He pointed out that the continued reliance on decades-old transformers, gas pipelines, and power plants hampers the government’s efforts to provide reliable electricity to Nigerians.
Adelabu lamented, “All our gas pipelines are bad. There has been vandalization of the gas pipelines; there will be a lack of adequate pressure on the gas pipelines where we need compressors and boosters.” He further highlighted the decrepit state of generating plants, transmission lines, and transformers, noting that many of these vital components are outdated and in urgent need of replacement.
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“The generating companies’ plants are also deteriorating. They are obsolete. For the transmission companies, the lines have been installed over 50 years ago, the cables are weak, the towers are falling and people are vandalizing them. Transformers are also weak. I have seen a transformer that was labeled ECN (Electricity Company of Nigeria) which means that it was installed in the ’60s; it has not been replaced,” Adelabu remarked.
The revelation underscores the significant infrastructure deficit that Nigeria faces in its quest to modernize and improve its power sector. As the government grapples with these challenges, addressing the issue of aging infrastructure remains a crucial priority to ensure sustainable and reliable electricity supply across the nation.
