FG Pledges Full Power Restoration To Northern Nigeria Within 14 Days Amid Prolonged Blackouts

The Federal Government has committed to restoring full electricity to Northern Nigeria within 14 days, following weeks of widespread blackouts affecting 17 states in the region.

Power Minister Adebayo Adelabu made the announcement on Tuesday during a briefing at the National Assembly, assuring that partial restoration efforts would begin within three days, with complete power expected by November 12, 2024.

“We are collaborating with security agencies to reclaim and secure the grid infrastructure currently hindered by vandals,” Adelabu stated. “I assure you that within the next 14 days, the necessary repairs will be completed, and power will be fully restored to the North.”

This timeline, however, differs from the five-day estimate provided earlier by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), which aims to complete the repairs by November 3, 2024. To mitigate the crisis, TCN has implemented emergency measures to transmit 400 megawatts of power to select areas within the next 24 hours.

The crisis has escalated in recent weeks, prompting the governors of all 19 northern states to demand alternative energy sources for the region. Currently, only Niger and Kwara states have access to electricity, leaving Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Gombe, Katsina, and 12 other states without power for over two weeks. The hardest-hit areas include Kaduna, Kano, and Katsina, which are experiencing total blackouts.

The widespread outage began after vandals damaged the Shiroro-Kaduna transmission line—Northern Nigeria’s primary power supply line—plunging nearly the entire region into darkness. As the restoration efforts progress, citizens remain hopeful that the government’s timeline will bring the much-needed relief from the ongoing energy crisis.