LCCI demands forensic audit of national grid

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has urged the Federal Government to take a decisive and transparent position by instituting an independent forensic audit of the national grid.

Director-General, LCCI, Dr Chinyere Almona, gave the advice on Tuesday in Lagos in reaction to the second national grid collapse within five days.

She said the audit must cover transmission infrastructure integrity, system protection schemes, operational protocols, and governance of grid management.

Almona noted that the development had plunged the country into widespread darkness and disrupted economic activity nationwide.

She said its recurrence underscored deep structural and operational weaknesses in the power transmission system.

Almona added that it posed a direct threat to manufacturers, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). and Nigeria’s overall business environment.

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

The LCCI DG said the disruptions weakened investor confidence, worsened inflationary pressures, and undermined the credibility of economic reforms.

“This is particularly concerning at this critical moment when the economy is expected to move from crisis management and stabilisation (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,” she said.

Almona said findings of the forensic audit should form a critical part of a grid performance system reform in the short term.

According to her, 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.

The LCCI boss added that reliable power supply was foundational to industrialisation, competitiveness, and macroeconomic stability.

She stressed 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,” she said.