Former Governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, has attributed the power crisis in the country to persistent leadership failures.
Mr Obi, who stated this via his X handle on Saturday, noted that the power sector was critical, thus requiring competent and committed leadership to thrive.
He was reacting to yesterday’s national grid collapse, which plunged the whole country into total darkness for several hours.
Although the grid has been restored by the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO), Obi described the incident as a “National Shame”.
“In January 2025, we witnessed the first grid collapse of that year, which was followed by several other collapses. Now in January, 2026 the national shame has commenced with yesterday’s collapse,” he said.
Obi, who was the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, expressed disappointment over the poor power generation in Nigeria.
“It is utterly disappointing that for three consecutive years—from 2023 to 2025—our nation has been ranked as having the least access to electricity globally, with nearly 100 million citizens left without power.
“When we compare our situation to other African nations, the disparity is stark. South Africa, with its population of about 64 million, generates and distributes over 40,000 megawatts. Egypt, with about 115 million population, also generates over 40,000 megawatts. Algeria, with around 48 million population, generates and distributes over 50,000 megawatts.
“Meanwhile, Nigeria, the giant of Africa and its most populous nation with over 240 million people, produces a mere 5,000 megawatts—an absurdly low figure that severely hampers our productivity,” he submitted.
He maintained that the country must prioritise competent leadership as it works towards 2027 general elections-
individuals with the capacity and dedication necessary to initiate a significant turnaround for the nation.
“As we look towards 2027, Nigeria must prioritise competence and empathy in its leadership. It is time to elect individuals with the capacity and dedication necessary to initiate a significant turnaround for our nation. Anything less is unacceptable,” he said.
