PETER OBI CRITICISES FG OVER PROPOSAL TO REPLACE NATIONAL GRID

PETER OBI CRITICISES FG OVER PROPOSAL TO REPLACE NATIONAL GRID WITH SOLAR, CALLING IT GROSS NEGLECT WITH SOLAR, CALLING IT GROSS NEGLECT African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain and former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi has strongly criticised the Federal Government’s reported proposal to abandon Nigeria’s national electricity grid and replace it entirely with solar power systems, calling the policy direction “gross neglect” that risks undermining infrastructure, power reliability and national development.
Obi, a long-time critic of the persistent power crisis in Nigeria, described the idea of disconnecting government institutions including the Presidential Villa from the grid in favour of solar energy as deeply troubling, arguing it reveals a leadership disconnected from the everyday struggles of ordinary Nigerians who still lack reliable electricity. Obi said it was “pitiable” and “gross neglect” for the government to give up on fixing the badly performing national grid only 32 months into the current administration, despite repeated promises of achieving steady, dependable electricity for citizens. He pointed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s own campaign pledge that he would deliver stable power within four years or not seek a second term as evidence of unfulfilled commitments. “Thirty-two months after being in-charge instead of living by his powerful words, he now dumps the national grid If those in authority disconnect themselves from the system, who then will connect the ordinary Nigerian to reliable power?”
While Obi acknowledged that promoting renewable energy, including solar power, is “commendable and necessary for the future,” he warned that abandoning core infrastructure like the national grid which still supplies power to millions signals a lack of compassion and commitment to citizens, particularly when government leaders would benefit from alternative power sources at their own expense. Obi stressed that Nigerians do not demand perfection but expect genuine effort, transparency and measurable improvement from their leaders rather than symbolic or isolated solutions that shield the elite from the realities faced by ordinary households and businesses. Nigeria’s national power grid has faced longstanding challenges, with frequent system collapses and inadequate transmission capacity that have driven increased interest in off-grid solutions such as solar. Experts have pointed to technical, governance and investment hurdles in the grid system, which has struggled to meet demand and remains unreliable for many citizens. Despite this, Obi argued that abandoning grid infrastructure instead of strengthening and expanding it could exacerbate inequalities, discourage essential investment in national systems and send the wrong signal at a time when power remains a key development issue.