In a significant move to address recent power outages in northern Nigeria, Adebayo Adelabu, the Minister of Power, announced that customers experiencing blackouts will not be billed for electricity during these periods. This decision comes in response to widespread disruptions caused by transmission line issues affecting multiple regions.
On October 22, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) reported major outages in the north-east, north-west, and parts of north-central Nigeria, following the tripping of the 330-kilovolt (kV) Ugwaji-Apir transmission lines. Additionally, acts of vandalism on the Shiroro-Kaduna line exacerbated the situation, significantly impacting power supply in key cities like Kaduna and Kano. Compounding these issues, another incident on October 24 saw a snapped 330 kV line in a challenging swampy forest area of Benue State.
In light of these disruptions, President Bola Tinubu has directed the TCN to accelerate repair efforts and has ordered the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to enhance security around vulnerable transmission facilities.
Addressing the ongoing issues, Adelabu stated, “I’m going to have a meeting with the chairman of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and all the DisCos for those days during which they suffer blackouts.” He emphasized that “There should not be billing of any sort for any customer, be it household customers, office consumers, or industrial consumers; they would be immune from billings from those periods.”
With additional support from the Chief of Army Staff and Air Staff for national security around the TCN, Adelabu expressed optimism about a swift restoration of power. This initiative aims to alleviate the financial burden on residents and businesses unable to access electricity due to circumstances beyond their control.