Kwankwaso Decries Prolonged Blackout In Northern Nigeria, Calls For Alternative Power Solutions

[Ikenna Ngere]

Former Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has expressed strong disapproval over the ongoing blackout affecting parts of northern Nigeria.​

In a message shared on his X account, Kwankwaso explained that extensive power cuts have left much of Northern Nigeria in darkness, citing vandalism of the critical 330kV Shiroro-Kaduna power line, which supplies power to states like Kano and Kaduna, and another line that serves Bauchi, Gombe, and other areas in the northeast.

Kwankwaso also highlighted the impact of rising fuel costs on the situation, stating, “This situation has been further compounded by the high cost of petrol and diesel in Nigeria, which has further plunged homes into darkness and forced factories to close down.”

He further noted that the slow response to this crisis exposes significant gaps in the power sector’s capacity to handle large-scale issues, stressing the need to prevent future disruptions.

“The time this crisis has taken to be addressed underscores the huge deficit of capacity our power sector has in order to address large scale problems and this must be addressed to avoid any future disruption.

“It is about time that we look into alternative power sources to address our energy needs and we need to exploit the abundant resources available to this country,” the former presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party said.

Calling for alternative energy solutions, Kwankwaso urged states and private entities to explore alternative power sources, referencing Kano’s installation of two turbines at Challawa Gorge and Tiga Dams as steps toward reducing reliance on the national grid.

“I wish to encourage all state governments and private investors to invest in alternative electricity sources, just like we did in Kano by installing two turbines in the Challawa Gorge and Tiga Dams in order to reduce the reliance on our inadequate and aged energy sources,” he added.

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