Nigeria was plunged into a widespread blackout on Monday afternoon following the collapse of the national electricity grid, severely disrupting power supply across the country.
The failure occurred between 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM, causing a catastrophic drop in power generation. Data from the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) shows generation plummeted from 2,052.37 megawatts to a mere 139.92 megawatts within that one-hour window.
The collapse has left the majority of the nation’s electricity distribution companies (DisCos) without allocated power. Of the eleven DisCos, only three were able to load a combined total of 120 megawatts during the critical period.
· Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) accounted for the bulk at 80MW.
· Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) received 20MW.
· Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) also took 20MW.
Consequently, eight other distribution companies recorded zero allocation, leaving their customers in the dark. The affected DisCos are:
· Benin (beyond the initial 20MW), Eko, Enugu, Ikeja, Jos, Kaduna, Kano, Port Harcourt, and Yola.
The national grid has a history of instability, with previous collapses causing similar nationwide outages. This latest incident raises renewed concerns about the resilience of the country’s power infrastructure and its impact on businesses, healthcare, and daily life.
Officials from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) are yet to issue a detailed statement on the cause of the collapse or provide a definitive timeline for full restoration. Engineers are reportedly working to restore the system.
This is a developing story. Updates will follow.
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