Nigeria’s national electricity grid collapsed again on Friday, causing a nationwide blackout as power generation plunged drastically to 24 megawatts (MW).
Checks by Source show that electricity generation, which was above 4,500MW earlier in the day, suddenly dropped to an unprecedented low around mid-day, forcing all electricity distribution companies (DisCos) to record zero allocation.
Data from the System Operator’s portal indicated that all grid-connected generation companies (GenCos) were affected, resulting in a total system shutdown across the country.
As of the time of filing this report, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) had yet to issue an official statement explaining the cause of the latest collapse or outlining immediate recovery measures.
The incident is the first recorded national grid collapse in 2026, occurring barely weeks after a similar system failure on Dec. 29, 2025, which also plunged the country into darkness.
Background
Nigeria’s power grid has suffered repeated collapses in recent years, raising concerns over the stability and resilience of the nation’s electricity infrastructure.
Industry experts have attributed the persistent system failures to a mix of aging transmission infrastructure, weak grid protection systems, fluctuating generation levels, and inadequate investment in network expansion and maintenance.
Despite several interventions by the Federal Government aimed at improving grid stability, system disturbances and collapses have remained frequent.
Impact
The recurring grid failures continue to undermine economic activities, forcing households and businesses to rely heavily on alternative power sources, particularly diesel-powered generators, which significantly increase operating costs.
Stakeholders warn that unless urgent technical and structural reforms are implemented, repeated grid collapses may continue to erode investor confidence in Nigeria’s power sector.
Efforts to restore electricity supply were ongoing as engineers worked to gradually stabilize the system.