‎Power Supply Disrupted as National Grid Collapses

‎Power Supply Disrupted as National Grid Collapses

By Abiola Adigun

Nigeria was plunged into power outages on Wednesday following the collapse of the national electricity grid.
Data obtained from the Independent System Operator (ISO) showed that power generation dropped sharply from 2,917 megawatts (MW) to just 1.5MW between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m.
The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), in a post on X (formerly Twitter), confirmed the incident.
“Please be informed that the power outage currently being experienced is due to a loss of supply from the national grid at 11:23 a.m. today, affecting electricity supply across our franchise areas,” AEDC said. “Rest assured, we are working closely with the relevant stakeholders to ensure power is restored once the grid is stabilized.”
Wednesday’s incident adds to a long list of grid failures that have plagued Nigeria’s electricity sector. On February 12, parts of the country were thrown into darkness following a similar collapse. On that occasion, distribution companies confirmed the outage, though the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) denied claims that the grid collapsed twice in one day.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), in its July 4 report, said no grid collapse was recorded in the first quarter of 2025, adding that it continues to push for stronger system coordination.
Despite such assurances, grid instability remains a recurring problem. In 2024 alone, the national grid collapsed at least 11 times, underscoring the fragility of Nigeria’s electricity infrastructure.
Analysts say the frequent collapses take a heavy toll on the economy. The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has repeatedly warned that unstable electricity supply drives up production costs, as companies resort to diesel and petrol generators. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) also struggle to cope, with many forced to scale down operations during extended blackouts.
Energy experts further note that the unreliability of the grid undermines investor confidence and slows Nigeria’s industrial growth. According to the World Bank, poor electricity access and unstable supply cost the country’s economy billions of dollars annually in lost productivity.
As businesses and households brace for another round of outages, concerns persist about the resilience of Nigeria’s power sector and the urgency of reforms needed to stabilize the grid.