The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has said that illegal connections, wire snap, vandalism, among others caused 174 electricity-related accidents in Nigeria between January and September 2024.
The NERC said in its quarterly reports that the figure represented a significant 38 per cent increase compared to the 126 incidents reported during the same period in 2023, raising fresh concerns about safety standards in the country’s power sector.
The 2024 reports revealed a worrying upward trend in incidents last year, with the number of accidents peaking in the second quarter.
In the first quarter, NERC documented 55 accidents, which rose sharply to 63 in the second quarter before declining slightly to 56 in the third quarter.
The report by Punch newspaper on Monday quoted the NERC as saying that despite the slight improvement in the third quarter, the overall figure underscores the pressing need for stricter safety measures and regulatory compliance across the industry.
The surge in accidents has also translated into a rise in injuries and fatalities.
NERC reported that 76 individuals suffered injuries in the first three quarters of 2024, a slight increase from the 72 recorded during the same period in 2023.
Fatalities, however, showed a more concerning trend, rising from 79 in 2023 to 86 in 2024, representing an 8.9 per cent increase.
The highest number of fatalities in 2024 was recorded in the second quarter, with 34 deaths, compared to 23 in the first quarter and 29 in the third quarter.
The quarterly reports highlighted significant fluctuations in the number of injuries. While injuries declined from 31 in the first quarter to 17 in the second, the figure surged to 28 in the third quarter.
This volatility suggests persistent challenges in implementing consistent safety measures across the sector.
NERC attributed the accidents, injuries, and fatalities to a range of factors, including illegal and unauthorised connections, unsafe electrical acts and conditions, wire snaps, vandalism, explosions, and electrocutions.
Illegal connections and wire snaps were identified as critical contributors to the rise in incidents in 2024.
GIK/APA