Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, announced that households affected by the recent power outages in the north will not be charged for electricity during blackout periods.

Adelabu plans to meet with the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and distribution companies (DisCos) regarding this decision.

Reports of power outages in the north raised concerns after the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) reported significant power issues in the north-east, north-west, and parts of the north-central regions on October 22 due to a tripped 330-kilovolt (kV) Ugwaji-Apir transmission lines.

There were also reports of vandalism on the Shiroro-Kaduna line affecting power supply in cities like Kaduna and Kano. Additionally, a 330 kV line in Benue State snapped on October 24, further contributing to the blackout.

President Bola Tinubu has instructed TCN to expedite repairs and ordered the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to provide security for vulnerable transmission facilities.

Adelabu reassured: “I’m going to have a meeting with the chairman of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and all the DisCos for those days during which they suffer blackouts,” he said, adding, “There should not be billing of any sort for any customer, be it household customers, office consumers, or industrial consumers; they would be immune from billings from those periods.”

Adelabu expressed optimism for a quick restoration, ensuring that residents and businesses will no face financial burdens for electricity they were unable to access.