NIGERIA and several other countries across Africa will witness a lunar eclipse this Sunday, September 7, 2025.
According to scientists cited by NTA, the celestial event is expected to last about 83 minutes, beginning around 8:00 p.m. Nigerian time.
The eclipse will be visible across most of Africa, though some western regions may miss parts of the early penumbral or partial phases as the moon rises closer to or during totality.
Countries set to experience the phenomenon include, Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Benin, Togo, Niger, Chad, and São Tomé and Príncipe.
Experts explained that a lunar eclipse occurs when the sun, earth, and moon align in space, with earth positioned in the middle, casting its shadow on the moon. Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are completely safe to watch with the naked eye.
This Sunday’s spectacle will give stargazers and skywatchers in Nigeria and beyond a rare opportunity to witness one of nature’s most striking astronomical events.
Nurudeen Akewushola is an investigative reporter and fact-checker with The ICIR. He believes courageous in-depth investigative reporting is the key to social justice, accountability and good governance in society. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 on Twitter.