Peter Obi Says Persistent Grid Collapse Is a National Shame
Peter Obi, former presidential candidate of the Labor Party, criticized the frequent collapses of Nigeria’s power grid, saying they are a “national disgrace” and a clear indication of leadership failure.
Obi expressed his dissatisfaction with the recent power grid collapses in strong terms, stressing that large parts of the country are in the dark and that the country’s power infrastructure is fragile.
“For the umpteenth time, the national grid has collapsed, plunging a huge part of the nation into darkness and exposing the fragility of Nigeria’s power infrastructure. This recurring disaster is a glaring testament to the failure of leadership and policy implementation at the highest levels,” Obi stated in his post on X (formerly Twitter).
Obi lamented the long struggle of Nigerians to cope with the unstable power supply, noting that the failure reflects the government’s failure to prioritize the welfare of its citizens and economic development.
He stressed that reliable power is essential to the country’s economic transformation, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are vital to job creation and GDP growth.
“We all know the immense importance of power supply to the transformation of our economy. Its support to SMEs, which are the engine of job creation and a major contributor to our GDP, is immeasurable,” he added.
Comparing Nigeria to other African countries, Obi highlighted the significant disparity in power generation.
He noted that South Africa, Egypt, and Algeria generate between 40,000 and 50,000 megawatts of electricity despite their small populations, while Nigeria generates less than 10,000 megawatts, despite having a larger population than the three countries combined.
This disparity, he said, is a reflection of deep-seated governance problems that continue to impede the country’s growth.
“Today, we are the fourth largest economy in Africa, having fallen from the number one position due to leadership failure over the years, including the persistent power crisis. It is time for urgent, comprehensive reform. Nigerians deserve a government that prioritises measurable indices of development.”
The former Anambra Governor who called for immediate and sweeping reforms to the power sector, also emphasised that without reliable electricity, Nigeria’s potential for economic growth would remain limited.