Sahara Group's Elushade Advocates Smart Hybrid Grid Model to Unlock Nigeria's Power Potential

 By Genesis ogiri 

ABUJA – Senior Procurement Analyst at Sahara Group, Elushade Oluwatumininu, has advocated the adoption of a Smart Hybrid Grid Model as a strategic blueprint for overhauling Nigeria's electricity sector, arguing that the nation's persistent power crisis stems not from inadequate generation capacity but from systemic coordination failures across the energy value chain.

Speaking before leading industry executives, government officials, regulators, investors, and technology experts at the 25th anniversary edition of NOG Energy Week 2026 in Abuja, Oluwatumininu made the call while presenting a paper titled "From SCADA Compliance to Grid Intelligence: A National Smart Grid Integration Framework for Transforming Nigeria's Energy Sector.

" He argued that integrating technology, policy reforms, and sustainable financing is essential to unlocking Nigeria's vast energy potential and delivering reliable electricity to homes, businesses, and industries across the country.

According to him, Nigeria currently operates at only about seven per cent of its power potential, dispatching an average of 4,500 megawatts (MW) despite having the capacity to generate up to 60,000MW and possessing abundant natural gas resources capable of powering much of Africa. He added that more than 40 per cent of Nigerians remain without access to the national grid, while industries rely on diesel generators equivalent to about 16GW of electricity annually to sustain operations.

"The problem is not just a capacity shortage. It is a systems coordination issue across gas, generation, transmission and distribution," he said, noting that the national grid records an average of eight collapses each year, largely due to poor coordination rather than weather or insufficient installed capacity.

To address these challenges, Oluwatumininu proposed the National Smart Grid Integration Framework (NSGIF), a digital transformation strategy built on four pillars: real-time grid monitoring, integrated gas-to-power data coordination, automated distribution networks, and optimisation of existing electricity assets. He explained that the framework would create a unified digital platform capable of improving operational visibility, reducing system failures, and maximising existing infrastructure without constructing new power plants.

Central to the proposal is a Smart Hybrid electricity architecture that combines a modernised national transmission backbone with dedicated Electricity Hubs for industrial clusters and distributed energy systems for states and rural communities. He said the approach would strengthen the national grid while encouraging decentralised electricity development under a coordinated regulatory framework.

On electricity pricing, Oluwatumininu advocated a structured hybrid tariff model that introduces cost-reflective tariffs for industrial consumers while protecting vulnerable households through targeted lifeline tariffs. He stressed that tariff reforms should be implemented alongside nationwide metering, improved revenue assurance, and significant reductions in Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection (ATC&C) losses to ensure affordability, transparency, and investor confidence.

"He disclosed that the proposed programme is estimated to cost about $600 million, with a projected 58 per cent economic rate of return, a five-to-seven-year payback period, and the potential to unlock between $2 billion and $10 billion annually through improved grid efficiency, lower diesel consumption, increased industrial productivity, and enhanced economic competitiveness.

Oluwatumininu also recommended a 90-day national grid data audit, the establishment of a formal gas-to-power regulatory framework, and immediate financing for smart grid infrastructure to accelerate implementation. He projected that by 2035, the framework could increase actual electricity dispatch to more than 8,500MW, reduce annual grid collapses to fewer than three, lower technical and commercial losses below 22 per cent, and generate over $2 billion in additional annual economic value.

"He concluded that Nigeria's energy future depends on building an intelligent, digitally connected electricity ecosystem that integrates a resilient national grid with structured decentralisation. According to him, adopting the Smart Hybrid Grid Model would strengthen energy security, improve electricity access, attract private investment, and provide the reliable power needed to drive industrialisation and sustainable economic growth.