Many Nigerian cities have been thrown into darkness as the national grid experienced a collapse again on Wednesday, marking the second time in the year.
According to data from the Nigerian System Operator’s portal (niggrid.org), the collapse occurred around 11:30 am on Wednesday.
The cause of this grid disturbance is yet to be disclosed by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
The ICIR reports that each grid collapse affects households, businesses, and critical sectors like healthcare, where a consistent power supply is essential.
The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC, already confirmed that the grid disturbance happened around 11:30 am on Wednesday.
The ICIR reports that they had already alerted customers about the blackout.
“We regret to inform you that a system disturbance occurred on the national grid at 11:34 am today (Wednesday), causing a power outage across our franchise areas.
“While the gradual restoration of power supply has commenced, please be assured that we are working closely with relevant stakeholders to fully restore electricity as soon as the grid is stabilised,” AEDC said in a statement on X on Wednesday. Similarly, a popular Nigeria National Grid account on X wrote on Wednesday, “There was a “GRID DISTURBANCE” before noon today (Wednesday). Parts of the country experienced an outage, “AEDC statement said.
The official spokesperson of TCN, Ndidi Mbah, did not respond to official calls and messages sent to her for comment on the development.
The grid disturbance comes after the one that occurred on January 11, 2025.
The ICIR reported that the national power grid has experienced several collapses in recent times. This comes at a huge cost to power infrastructure and businesses relying essentially on grid power.
Last year, the national grid collapsed about 11, raising concerns over grid stability and reliance on a centralised grid system.
Energy analysts say the decentralisation of the grid is feasible with states now keying into the new electricity and establishing their regulatory commissions to attract investments.
Further findings revealed that one of the major causes of grid collapse is instability and overload.
When the electricity demand exceeds the capacity of the transmission lines, they can become overloaded. It may lead to overheating, equipment failure, or cascading outages.
Harrison Edeh is a journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, always determined to drive advocacy for good governance through holding public officials and businesses accountable.