Power has been restored across Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, and Benue States, bringing relief to residents who endured a 10-day blackout.

The Jos Electricity Distribution Company confirmed that electricity was reinstated around 7:20 p.m. on Wednesday, prompting celebrations in Jos, the Plateau State capital, and other affected areas.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: Tinubu Appoints Major General Oluyede As Acting Chief of Army Staff

The prolonged outage was caused by the tripping of a major 330kV transmission line between Benue and Enugu states, leaving several northern states without power.

The blackout severely impacted daily life and economic activities, with residents expressing frustration over the disruption to businesses, healthcare services, and personal livelihoods.

In response, President Bola Tinubu took swift action, summoning Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu to address the crisis.

Presidential Adviser Bayo Onanuga disclosed on Monday that President Tinubu directed the Ministry of Power and relevant agencies to expedite restoration efforts.

“President Tinubu is deeply concerned about the reports of vandalism and deliberate destruction of essential power infrastructure,” Onanuga said in a statement.

“The President has tasked TCN engineers with bringing immediate relief to the affected states and implementing a long-term solution to prevent future outages.”

The perennial power outage in certain parts of Nigeria has caught the attention of another frontline political figure, leaving him wailing and calling for urgent solutions.

The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Nigeria’s 2024 election, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has expressed shock that “many parts of Northern Nigeria are in total darkness today due to vandalism on the important 330kV Shiroro-Kaduna power line”.

The former governor of Kano State was disheartened that “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.”

Kwankwaso’s bitter tears were shed in a statement on Monday on his verified handle on micro-blogging site, X.

Other prominent political figures who have been lamenting the perennial power outage in several parts of Nigeria include Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) respectively.

ALSO READ: BREAKING: Atiku Laments Complete Blackouts In Certain Regions Of Nigeria

He wrote, “It is very disheartening that many parts of Northern Nigeria are in total darkness today due to vandalism on the important 330kV Shiroro-Kaduna power line that supplies the states of Kano and Kaduna and another line that supplies Bauchi, Gombe and other parts of the northeast.

“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.

“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.

“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. – RMK”

. . . Becomes The Largest Operator Of CNG Trucks In Nigeria

In a bold demonstration of support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s CNG Initiative, which aims to provide cheaper and cleaner fuelling alternatives for all Nigerians, Dangote Cement Plc has made significant investments exceeding $280 million in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) technology and infrastructure.

Recall that President Tinubu, whose commitment to CNG deployment and clean energy is unmatched in Africa, has maintained his administration’s drive to create a conducive environment for private sector investments and expand Nigeria’s CNG infrastructure to enhance energy efficiency and drive economic growth.

As part of this initiative, President Tinubu ordered the distribution of one million free CNG conversion kits for commercial vehicles involved in transporting people, food, and goods.

ALSO READ: FG To Launch 100 New CNG Stations Nationwide Within Six Months

At a recent event, President Tinubu emphasised the urgent need for Nigeria to utilise its vast natural gas resources in the transportation sector.

He stated that CNG transportation is an economic necessity for Nigeria, signalling a significant shift in the country’s approach to public transportation and energy use.

President Tinubu said, “Utilising natural gas to power Nigeria’s transportation industry is the next way to go.”

On its part, the Dangote Cement said the over $280m investment not only solidifies its leadership in the CNG sector but also reflects its dedication to mitigating climate change and supporting a transition to a low-carbon economy.

The Group Managing Director of Dangote Cement Plc, Arvind Pathak, asserted that the investment aims to acquire 100% CNG trucks as part of a long-term plan to transition its entire fleet to CNG.

This move marks a significant milestone in Dangote’s clean energy transition, with the objective of operating most of its fleet on CNG by mid-2026. As at October, the company has received its first batch of 1,500 mono-fuel CNG trucks while expecting additional 1,600 CNG trucks; which would bring the total to 3,100 before the end of the year.

Pathak stated, “By mid- 2026, Dangote Cement aims to operate a fleet predominantly powered by CNG. To facilitate this transformation, we are investing in expanding our CNG fuelling infrastructure, ensuring that our growing fleet has reliable access to CNG as our fuel.”

He added that plans were afoot to aggressively pursue this timeline of deployment, beginning from the first quarter of 2025. “We are keeping our eyes on the ball to ensure that we do not miss our target dates of full compliance.”

Pathak said that the company’s CNG infrastructure investments have positively influenced Nigeria’s transition to cleaner fuels.

He pointed out that the CNG station at Obajana, capable of refuelling over 3,000 trucks, exemplifies this commitment, with a second station currently under development in Ibese to further support fleet operations.

President/Chief Executive, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote said the company’s investments in CNG are also in line with Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement, which aims for net-zero emissions by 2060.

“In this pursuit of transition to clean energy, we are optimistic of a remarkable accomplishment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as he has taken the lead in the nation’s drive towards energy efficiency. This presupposes private sector intervention to support this noble idea initiated by the President,” Dangote added.

He noted that the company’s early adoption of CNG has made it the largest operator of CNG trucks in Nigeria, emphasising that the initiative is a boost to President Tinubu’s quest towards enhancing the nation’s energy independence and contributing to a more secure energy future.

According to him: “We are now using CNG vehicles, especially with the new policy of the Federal Government, launched under the Renewed Hope Agenda by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We are committed to a cleaner and greener future.”