Students Plan Nationwide Protest Over Rot In Power Sector

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has asked the federal government to declare a state of emergency in the country’s power sector, citing persistent and embarrassing collapses of the national grid.

In a letter addressed to the TCN boss and copied to relevant government authorities, security agencies and the general public, which was signed by Comrade Anzaku Shedrack Ovye, secretary-general of NANS yesterday, the association notified its members of its intention to embark on a nationwide protest tagged: “National Day of Action”.

NANS said that despite trillions of naira allocated to the power sector over the years, there has been no meaningful improvement in electricity transmission, adding that the situation has instead worsened under the current management.

“Records show that the national grid collapsed over twelve (12) times last year and three (3) times within the last twenty-seven (27) hours. This is a national embarrassment and a development capable of tarnishing the image of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (PBAT) both locally and internationally.

“We strongly view these repeated collapses as acts of gross incompetence, sabotage, and unpatriotism, possibly encouraged by enemies of the Nigerian state.

“The continuous collapse of the national grid threatens national security, scares away investors, and undermines the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda on economic recovery and reforms.

Each grid collapse reportedly results in nearly N10 billion in revenue losses, while hospitals lose lives, students are exposed to danger and academic disruption, small businesses are crippled, and economic activities are brought to a halt nationwide.

“Sadly, there has been no compensation for these losses suffered by Nigerians,” he said.

The association expressed concern that several multinational companies, including MTN, have reportedly abandoned the national grid due to its unreliability, a development it said exposes deep systemic failures within the sector.

NANS lamented that Nigerians have received no compensation for the losses incurred as a result of the frequent power outages.