With 5,000MW for 240m People, Nigeria’s Power Gap Alarming – Obi

Nigeria’s perennial power crisis took another dramatic turn on Friday as the national electricity grid collapsed for the first time in 2026, plunging millions of households and businesses into darkness.

In response, former presidential candidate Peter Obi slammed the country’s “absurdly low” generation capacity, calling it a symptom of deep-seated leadership failure.

The collapse saw national power generation plummet from above 4,500 megawatts to a mere 24 MW by early afternoon, crippling supply across all regions. All 23 connected power plants reportedly lost output, resulting in zero allocation to the nation’s 11 distribution companies.

In a strongly-worded statement on Saturday, Obi highlighted the alarming disparity between Nigeria and other African nations.

“South Africa, with about 64 million people, generates over 40,000 megawatts. Egypt, with about 115 million, also generates over 40,000 megawatts. Algeria, with around 48 million, generates over 50,000 megawatts. Meanwhile, Nigeria, with over 240 million people, produces a mere 5,000 megawatts—an absurdly low figure that severely hampers our productivity”, he stated.

Obi, the Labour Party’s candidate in the 2023 election, connected the latest failure to a persistent national decline. He pointed out that Nigeria has been ranked bottom globally for electricity access for three consecutive years (2023–2025), leaving nearly 100 million citizens without reliable power.

Labeling the repeated grid collapses a “national shame,” Obi tied it directly to governance. “This power crisis is a direct result of continuous leadership failures. The power sector is critical and requires competent and committed leadership to thrive,” he asserted.

Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, the former Anambra State governor urged Nigerians to prioritize competence and compassion in their leadership choices. “It is time to elect individuals with the capacity and dedication necessary to initiate a significant turnaround for our nation,” he stated. “Anything less is unacceptable.”