The Technical Adviser to the Minister of Power, Adedayo Olowoniyi, has stated that the rate of national grid collapses has declined since Bayo Adelabu assumed leadership as Minister of Power, despite recent electricity supply challenges.
Olowoniyi made the remarks during an appearance on The Morning Show on ARISE Television, addressing public concerns over persistent power outages and disruptions. On the issue of grid instability, he emphasized that historical data reflects a positive trend.
“Looking at the data, the annual number of grid collapses has reduced since the Honourable Minister took office,” he said, urging Nigerians to consider the long-term trajectory of the power sector rather than focusing solely on recent setbacks.
He highlighted several key performance indicators, noting that the sector has recorded unprecedented achievements over the past two years. “In this period, we have seen the highest peak generation, the highest average generation, and the highest average distribution consumption of electricity. Stability in supply was significant until the past two to three months,” Olowoniyi explained.
The adviser attributed the recent deterioration in electricity supply primarily to challenges in gas infrastructure, which he described as critical for sustaining power generation. “This is an isolated issue connected to gas infrastructure. Resolving it requires more investment in the sector, ensuring that gas companies are incentivized to maintain a consistent supply,” he said.
Olowoniyi also pointed out that reforms and policies implemented by the Ministry of Power have started yielding tangible results. He suggested that improvements in the past have made current shortages more noticeable to consumers, reflecting the gains already achieved.
“The strategies and implementations driven by the Honourable Minister have shown significant improvement. When shortages occur now, people feel them more because the system had already improved,” he added.
Concluding, Olowoniyi reiterated that the decline in grid collapses is a direct result of ongoing efforts within the sector. “The rate of grid collapse has reduced because the right measures are being implemented,” he affirmed, underscoring that sustained investment and continued reforms are essential to maintaining stability and improving Nigeria’s electricity supply in the long term.
