LCCI urges Federal Government to conduct forensic audit of national grid

Stanley Ihedigbo

Amid recurring power outages and repeated collapses of the national grid, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has called on the Federal Government to undertake a forensic audit of the power infrastructure as a critical step toward identifying systemic failures and restoring stability to the electricity supply.

According to the Director-General/ Chief Executive Officer, LCCI, Dr. Chinyere Almona, the recurrence underscores deep structural and operational weaknesses in the power transmission system and poses a direct threat to manufacturers, MSMEs, and Nigeria’s overall business environment at a critical moment when the economy is expected to move from crisis management and stabilization (2023–2025) into a consolidation phase in 2026.

Based on recent patterns and in the absence of urgent structural fixes, the LCCI estimates that Nigeria could experience tens of grid collapses in 2026 under a “business-as-usual” scenario.

With immediate reforms, system upgrades, and strict operational discipline, this figure can be reduced to zero incidents, moving the country closer to grid reliability benchmarks required for economic consolidation.

The LCCI noted that repeated grid failures impose severe costs on businesses through lost production hours, damaged equipment, increased reliance on self-generation, higher operating expenses, and reduced competitiveness.

These disruptions weaken investor confidence, worsen inflationary pressures, and undermine the credibility of economic reforms.

LCCI therefore called on the Federal Government to take a decisive and transparent position by instituting an independent forensic audit of the national grid covering transmission infrastructure integrity, system protection schemes, operational protocols, and governance of grid management.

The findings should form a critical part of a grid performance system reform in the short term.

Without urgent intervention, recurring grid collapses will continue to undermine the government’s objective of entering a consolidation phase in 2026, while constraining productivity, exports, and job creation.

A reliable power supply is foundational to industrialisation, competitiveness, and macroeconomic stability.

The Chamber reiterated that restoring grid stability must be treated as an economic emergency, not merely a technical issue.

At this stage, the causes of these collapses should be well understood, better managed, and effectively prevented.

What we are witnessing today is therefore unacceptable and calls for decisive, coordinated action to safeguard national economic performance.