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Widespread Blackout Paralyzes Nigerian Economy as Power Outages Persist Nationwide

Published

Friday, 14 March 2025, 11:12 am

Overview

Contents

National Power Generation Woes Grid Failures Affecting Businesses Nationwide Northern Nigeria in Complete Blackout National Leaders Raise Concern Advocacy from Northern Groups Transmission Company of Nigeria Responds Moving Forward: Calls for Decentralized Power

Widespread Blackout Paralyzes Nigerian Economy as Power Outages Persist Nationwide. Nigeria is facing a prolonged and worsening power crisis, with businesses and everyday activities disrupted across the nation due to recurring power outages. The country’s reliance on a centralized power grid has exposed vulnerabilities, leading to a national electricity generation rate that remains inadequate for both business and residential needs. This blackout is straining citizens who now contend with rising fuel costs, an overburdened economy, and insufficient alternative energy options.

National Power Generation Woes

According to data from the Nigerian Electricity System Operator, Nigeria’s electricity generation reached only 3,752.37 megawatts (MW) as of a recent report, far below the required threshold. Transmission and distribution remain challenging, resulting in frequent blackouts that impact both urban and rural communities. Citizens face economic pressure as they resort to alternative energy sources like petrol and diesel, which have surged to over N1,000 per liter.

Grid Failures Affecting Businesses Nationwide

The Director-General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Dr. Chinyere Almona, expressed grave concerns over the continued failures of Nigeria’s national grid. She noted that the business community has recorded eight national grid collapses this year, with three occurring within a single week. These outages not only hinder economic growth but also drive up operational costs for businesses. Similarly, Dele Oye, President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA), highlighted the detrimental effects of erratic power supply on production and profitability.

Northern Nigeria in Complete Blackout

Large portions of Northern Nigeria have been in darkness for days, primarily due to vandalism of key power transmission infrastructure. Reports indicate that the Shiroro-Kaduna transmission line was disrupted by vandals, further complicating the region’s electricity supply. Security concerns in the affected areas have delayed essential repairs, leaving many businesses, healthcare facilities, and households without power.

Small and large businesses, especially those dependent on refrigeration, face mounting challenges. For example, a soft drinks dealer in Maiduguri, Borno State, explained that his daily costs for ice to cool drinks have doubled due to the power crisis, making it difficult to remain profitable.

National Leaders Raise Concern

Prominent national figures, including Atiku Abubakar, have condemned the ongoing crisis and the grid’s repeated collapses. The former vice president called for urgent intervention to restore electricity, emphasizing that swift action is crucial to mitigate the impact on Nigeria’s economy. Abubakar has proposed decentralizing the power grid, enabling states to generate, transmit, and distribute their own electricity. He argues this approach would make power more resilient and address the country’s infrastructure shortfalls.

Advocacy from Northern Groups

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has voiced frustration over the TCN’s (Transmission Company of Nigeria) handling of the ongoing power outages. They cite significant infrastructural neglect, specifically pointing to the Shiroro power line, which feeds power to Kaduna and surrounding states, as a key vulnerability. The coalition also condemned the skewed power distribution allocation, whereby Northern DisCos receive just 160 MW of a 4,249 MW capacity, while the Southwest, including Lagos, benefits from higher allocations. They call for a restructuring of Nigeria’s power distribution framework to ensure a fairer and more equitable distribution across all regions.

Transmission Company of Nigeria Responds

In response, the TCN’s General Manager for Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, addressed the issue, attributing the blackouts in the northern states to vandalism of the Shiroro-Mando transmission line. Mbah assured the public that TCN is actively coordinating with national security forces to gain access to the affected areas and make necessary repairs.

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Moving Forward: Calls for Decentralized Power

To address Nigeria’s enduring power crisis, experts and policymakers emphasize the need for a decentralized approach. By empowering states to manage their own electricity, Nigeria could mitigate the risks associated with the current centralized grid and ensure more stable power supply across the country. Additionally, investment in complementary transmission infrastructure is needed to improve the capacity to distribute energy from renewable and non-renewable sources.

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Stay away from women that are always in church – Woman advises men

Published

2 hours ago

March 14, 2025

John

An East African woman, Maureen Bahema, has advised men to stay away from women who are constantly in church and always talk about their papa “MEN stay away from women that are always at Church from Monday to Monday and they are always talking about their Papa. They never talk about JESUS CHRIST but daily “papa this papa that”. When you marry such girls, her papa will be controlling your marriage,” she wrote on Thursday March 13 The post Stay away from women that are always in church – Woman advises men appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.

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Fubara writes fresh letter for 2025 budget presentation to Rivers Assembly

Published

5 hours ago

March 14, 2025

John

By Daniel Abia, P/Harcourt

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Less than eight hours after his Chief Judge has been placed on investigation over alleged age falsification, the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has properly written to the state House of Assembly of his intention to present the 2025 budget.

On Wednesday, Fubara was locked out of the Assembly Complex for what the spokesman of the House, Hon Enemi George said “his inability to formally communicate the House”.

In a letter titled: Notice of Presentation of Rivers State 2025 Budget to Rivers State House of Assembly, and addressed to the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, the Governor recalled his first visit to the House.

“You may recall my failed visit to the Rivers State House of Assembly on Wednesday, 12th March, 2025 for the presentation of the 2025 Rivers State Budget in compliance with the judgement of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

“As you know, the planned presentation of the said budget could not take place because my entourage and I were locked out at the gate and denied entry into the premises despite the prior delivery of a soft copy of the notice to you following the failure of the Clerk to accept the hard copy from us.

“Recall further that before this unfortunate incident, the House issued a 48-hour ultimatum to present the 2025 budget even when we were yet to be served with the certified
true copy of the judgement and accompanying enrolled orders”, he said.

Governor Fubara informed the Speaker in the letter that “we were simply complying with both the order of the Supreme Court and the request of the Rivers State House of Assembly when we came to present the 2025 budget on the 12th of March, 2025.

“The Supreme Court has directed that all arms of government should exercise their
powers and perform their duties within the ambits of the Constitution and ordinary laws of our country, and this we must do to end the lingering stalemate and advance the progress of our state and the well-being of our people.

“No matter the depth of our differences, we believe the interests of the State and our
people should take priority over political conflicts.

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“Against this background, it is my pleasure to again notify you, Mr. Speaker, of my desire and intention to present the 2025 Budget to the Rivers State House of Assembly on
Wednesday, 19th March, 2025 by 11.00 a.m. or any other date within March 2025 that you may
consider convenient”.

It is therefore left to be seen if the House will have the courtesy to respond to the letter giving the long time frame for thr presentation of the budget.

The post Fubara writes fresh letter for 2025 budget presentation to Rivers Assembly appeared first on Vanguard News.

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Bill to allow Nigerians to cast early votes passes 2nd reading in Senate

Published

14 hours ago

March 13, 2025

John

Contents

A bill to amend the Electoral Act No. 13, 2022, to provide for early voting at elections passed its second reading in the Senate on Thursday.

The bill is titled “A Bill for an Act to amend the Electoral Act No. 13, 2022, to provide for early voting at elections, including criteria for eligibility, procedure at the elections, and other related matters, 2025”.

It was introduced by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’adua (APC-Katsina).

Leading the debate, Yar’adua emphasised that the bill aimed to enfranchise Nigerians who were denied the opportunity to vote on Election Day due to their duties, such as INEC officials, security personnel, journalists, and observers.

He noted that more than one million citizens who help ensure the success of elections were currently disenfranchised because they were deployed far from their registered polling units.

“This bill seeks to correct that by making provisions for early voting for such citizens,” the legislator said, arguing that excluding such individuals from voting undermined the integrity of the election process.

Yar’adua stressed that the bill would solve the disenfranchisement and enhance the democratic process by ensuring that all eligible citizens could participate in the electoral system, regardless of their profession or duty on Election Day.

Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (APC-Ondo) and Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Abba Moro, supported the bill, highlighting the importance of reducing barriers to voting and improving Nigeria’s electoral process.

The Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau, who presided over plenary, referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters for further legislative action and to report back in four weeks.

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