News

National Grid May Collapse With 6,000MW Power — NYCN

Published

3 years ago

March 5, 2023

The national power grid will collapse if electricity generation hits 6,000 megawatts, the President of Nigeria Consumer Protection Network, Kunle Olubiyo, has said.

Nigeria’s highest quantum of electricity ever generated on its national grid was 5,802MW, which was generated on March 1, 2021, and was evacuated at a frequency of 50.09 hertz.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria had stated at the time that this quantum of electricity was transmitted to power distributors, adding that the figure was higher than the previous peak by 186.20MW.

“TCN successfully transmitted an enhanced peak generation of 5,801.6MW at 9:30 pm on March 1, 2021. The peak generation was transmitted at a frequency of 50.09Hz. This value is higher than the 5,615.4MW recorded on February 28, 2021, by 186.20MW,” TCN stated.

Since then, power generation on the grid had continued to fluctuate between 4,000MW and 5,000MW, despite the increasing demand for electricity by the over 200 million people in Nigeria.

On Friday, for instance, figures obtained by our correspondent from the Federal Ministry of Power in Abuja showed that the quantum of electricity generated on the national grid was 4,962.7MW as of 6.00 am.

But amid calls for an increase in power generation, the NCPN president revealed that the national grid would collapse should it get up to 6,000MW of electricity from power generation companies.

He explained that regulatory inconsistencies coupled with the weak infrastructure in the sector were shrinking the electricity-carrying capacity of the national grid.

“Over the years, due to regulatory flip-flops and weakness, Nigeria has not been able to surpass 5,800MW of electricity. In fact, if at any point we decide to do 6,000MW, the grid as a monolithic structure will collapse,” Olubiyo stated.

Various updates from the sector showed that Nigeria’s power grid collapsed about seven times last year. It collapsed on September 25, 2022, when power generation on the system crashed from over 3,700MW to as low as 38MW.

On July 20, 2022, Nigeria’s power grid saw the sixth collapse in 2022, while on June 13, The PUNCH reported a grid collapse.

The nation’s power system collapsed twice in March and twice again in April last year.

Power generation on the grid had continued to fluctuate due to various concerns such as gas constraints, water management challenges, and gas pipeline vandalism, among others.

To address these challenges, Olubiyo tasked the incoming administration to give priority to the power sector, stressing that this was among the key demands of Nigerians and various business entities.

“As far as the power sector is concerned and the end-users or the public is concerned, the major priority of the in-coming administration should be energy security.

“Nigeria is one of the leading members of OPEC (Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries) and it is quite abnormal and a global embarrassment that in the midst of abundant reserves of gas, crude oil and all other variables that make the energy economy, Nigeria still lacks adequate energy,” Olubiyo stated.

According to him, gas-to-power is very crucial as the mainstay of the economy.

The power expert further pointed out that the 5,000MW being shared by over 200 million citizens in Nigeria was grossly inadequate when compared to the acceptable standards globally.

“So, the major focus of the incoming administration should be energy security for Nigeria, because the United Nations benchmark is 1,000MW for a population of one million people,” Olubiyo stated.
PUNCH

News

Edo NLC Crisis: Caretaker Committee Drags Rival Exco, Govt To Court

Published

11 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The division in the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), took a new dimension on Wednesday as Prof. Monday Monday Lewis Igbafen-led caretaker committee approached the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Benin Judicial Division, seeking to affirm its authority and restrain a rival executive from parading itself as the council’s leadership.

Joined in the suit are the Edo State Government, the Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.

In a suit marked: NICN/BEN/12/2026, and filed before the court in Benin, the claimant, Igbafen, acting for himself and on behalf of the NLC Caretaker Committee in Edo State, is challenging the continued occupation of the union’s secretariat and control of its assets by members of the Bernard Egwakhide-led factional State Executive Council.

The claimants are asking the court to declare that the caretaker committee (Igbafen-led faction), constituted on August 11, 2025, by the NLC national leadership, remains the only lawful authority to administer the affairs of the Edo State Council pending fresh elections.

They further seek a declaration that the continued occupation of the NLC secretariat located at No. 1 Teboga Road, Benin City, as well as the retention of union assets, financial records, and official instruments by the defendants, is illegal and void.

The suit also prays for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from parading themselves as officials of the NLC Edo Council or interfering with the functions of the caretaker committee.

In addition, the claimants are seeking a mandatory order compelling the defendants to immediately hand over the secretariat, vehicles, financial documents, cheque books, and all other properties belonging to the union.

The caretaker committee further urged the court to restrain the state government and its officials from interfering in the internal affairs of the union, alleging undue support for the dissolved executive.

The claimants further demand N50 million as general and exemplary damages against the defendants for alleged unlawful usurpation of office and acts prejudicial to the administration of the council.

According to court documents made available to our correspondent, the crisis followed the dissolution of the Edo State Council by the NLC National Executive Council on February 27, 2025, over allegations of misconduct, anti-union activities, and constitutional violations.

However, the matter has yet to be assigned a hearing date.

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

16 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

17 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.