NIGERIA’S NATIONAL GRID RECORDS FIRST SYSTEM COLLAPSE IN 2026

Nigeria’s power sector was hit by another setback on Friday as the national electricity grid experienced a total system collapse, triggering widespread outages across the country in the first incident of its kind in 2026.

Data from the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) showed that electricity generation crashed to zero megawatts at about 1 p.m., with power supply to all 11 distribution companies completely cut off.

The affected distribution companies include Benin, Eko, Enugu, Ikeja, Jos, Kaduna, Kano, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Abuja and Yola, each recording zero load allocation at the time of the collapse.

The development follows a string of grid failures recorded in 2025, the latest of which occurred on December 29, underscoring persistent challenges in the nation’s electricity infrastructure despite ongoing reform and expansion efforts.

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The collapse came shortly after the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) announced the restoration of 450 megawatts to the national grid following the completion of maintenance at the Geregu National Integrated Power Project.

In a related effort to enhance grid stability, NISO disclosed that it partnered with the West African Power Pool Information and Coordination Centre on November 9, 2025, to conduct a synchronisation test aimed at linking Nigeria’s grid with the wider West African electricity network.