Blackout Hits Nigeria As National Grid Collapses Again

Nigeria has been plunged into darkness yet again as the national electricity grid, centrally managed from Osogbo, Osun State, suffered a collapse at about 4:30 pm on Thursday, leaving millions of homes and businesses without power.

This development marks the fourth time the grid is collapsing, since in the first three months of the year, adding to challenges that have long plagued Nigeria’s power sector.

According to reports from various distribution companies spanning the nation’s 36 States, their feeders were rendered inactive, resulting in widespread blackouts across the country.

One of the Distribution Companies, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), in a statement via it’s Instagram Handle @aedcelectricity, appealed to customers, assuring them of ongoing efforts to restore power.

The grid’s output, which stood at 2984 megawatts as of 4:00pm, plummeted to zero within the span of an hour, with all 21 plants connected to the grid ceasing operations by 5:00 pm.

This incident marks another setback for Nigeria’s electricity sector, which has been marred by persistent issues despite privatisation efforts aimed at revitalization.

Major power generation plants such as Egbin, Afam, Geregu, Ibom Power, Jebba, Kainji, Odukpani, and Olorunsogo, among others, remained dormant, further exacerbating the electricity deficit nationwide.