The Federal Government has announced plans to commence a nationwide replacement of ageing electricity infrastructure in January 2027, in a renewed effort to address persistent transmission challenges and improve electricity supply across the country.
The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, disclosed this on Monday during an interview on a television programme, explaining that the intervention would follow an ongoing technical audit of the power sector.
Tegbe said the government was conducting a comprehensive assessment of electricity infrastructure to determine the condition of existing facilities, identify equipment requiring urgent replacement and establish investment priorities across the sector.
According to him, the exercise is expected to provide the technical information required to direct government spending towards critical infrastructure and reduce recurring disruptions to electricity transmission.
He identified the national transmission network as one of the biggest constraints affecting the country’s electricity supply, noting that some transmission lines had remained in operation for as long as 50 years.
The minister said the government had already spent about one month undertaking the technical assessment, with preliminary findings pointing to the need for significant infrastructure renewal.
He explained that the exercise was intended to ensure that interventions were based on verified technical requirements rather than isolated repairs that might not address the underlying problems confronting the electricity network.
Tegbe said the administration of President Bola Tinubu was committed to supporting the reforms, adding that the President had demonstrated strong backing for the ministry’s efforts to improve the performance of the power sector.
The planned replacement programme is expected to cover critical electricity infrastructure, particularly ageing transmission facilities that have continued to constrain the evacuation and delivery of generated electricity.
Nigeria’s electricity industry has faced persistent challenges, including inadequate transmission capacity, frequent grid disturbances, ageing equipment and insufficient investment in critical infrastructure.
The government’s proposed intervention is therefore expected to form part of broader efforts to strengthen the electricity value chain, improve grid reliability and create a more dependable power supply system for households and businesses.
