Senator Shehu Sani has urged Nigerians to refrain from politicizing the issue of frequent national grid collapses, calling instead for cooperative support of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
In a press briefing in Abuja, Sani emphasized that recent improvements in electricity supply highlight the strides made under the leadership of the new Minister of Power and the TCN Managing Director.
He criticized those seeking to blame TCN management, describing such calls as “poorly informed.”
Senator Sani pointed out that Nigeria’s power sector has made visible progress under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, contrasting it with past efforts that consumed billions with limited outcomes. He further questioned the lack of public scrutiny over the electricity budget and the private sector’s involvement, stressing that TCN’s challenges are exacerbated in insurgency-affected areas, particularly in northern Nigeria, where government properties have been heavily damaged.
Sani urged politicians and civil society organizations to avoid using the grid collapse issue to disparage TCN management, suggesting that they should instead support efforts toward a stable electricity supply.
TCN recently attributed a North-West region blackout to vandalism and sabotage, specifically damage to towers along the 330kV Shiroro-Kaduna line. Temporary solutions have been implemented to restore power, while residents in Kaduna, Zaria, and Kano called for stricter penalties for vandalism.
As part of its commitment to improving power management, TCN has introduced an advanced Supervision Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system to oversee the national grid, an initiative widely praised by stakeholders as a positive step for the sector.
