Sahara Group has emphasised that deploying real-time data systems and automation across Nigeria’s electricity network is critical to closing persistent power supply gaps, despite improvements in generation capacity.
Speaking at a forum, the company said the country’s electricity challenge has evolved beyond generation constraints to issues of grid intelligence, visibility, and operational efficiency.
Group Head of Human Resources at Sahara Group, Emilomo Arorote, noted that while Nigeria has recorded measurable progress in electricity generation, inefficiencies in transmission and distribution continue to undermine reliable supply.
According to her, limited grid visibility, inadequate real-time data, and weak system intelligence have constrained effective power delivery, resulting in persistent outages and energy losses across the value chain.
“A digital grid introduces real-time awareness, automation, and predictive intelligence into electricity networks,” Arorote said, adding that sensors installed on transformers and other critical infrastructure can detect faults before they escalate into major failures.
She explained that smart meters can significantly enhance transparency and billing accuracy, while advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence layered on live operational data enable operators to forecast demand, reduce technical and commercial losses, and detect energy theft more efficiently.
Arorote further stated that transitioning from reactive maintenance to predictive maintenance would improve system reliability and reduce downtime across the network.
Providing practical examples, she cited the Aba Power industrial cluster in Abia State, which operates a near-isolated smart grid capable of automatically disconnecting from the national grid within milliseconds during instability, thereby ensuring uninterrupted power supply to customers.
She also referenced developments in South Africa, where improved grid management has resulted in over 320 consecutive days without load shedding, largely achieved using existing infrastructure.
In Mozambique, she added, the deployment of smart prepaid meters has helped reduce electricity losses from 43 per cent to 21 per cent, demonstrating the impact of digital solutions on operational efficiency.
Arorote stressed that policy support would be crucial to accelerating digital grid adoption in Nigeria, urging the government to grant import duty waivers on essential equipment such as sensors, smart meters, and battery storage systems.
She also highlighted Sahara Power Group’s inclusion in the Mission 300 Private Sector Council, a World Bank-backed initiative aimed at expanding electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030, as a sign of growing global confidence in private sector-led energy solutions.
Arorote called on electricity distribution companies and other sector operators to begin digitising critical assets without delay, rather than waiting for ideal conditions, noting that early adoption would deliver measurable improvements in efficiency and service delivery.
She also urged financial institutions to expand blended finance models to unlock investment in Nigeria’s undercapitalised electricity distribution segment.
In addition, she encouraged young Nigerian engineers, developers, and technology entrepreneurs to build innovative solutions tailored to the country’s evolving power sector, stressing that industry operators are increasingly willing to adopt technologies that deliver tangible impact.
