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Grid collapse plunged the country into darkness on Wednesday.
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Load rejection causes massive losses for generation companies over eight months.
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Power partially restored, but supply remains below national demand.
Grid collapse on Wednesday, plunged much of the country into blackout and highlighting the fragility of the sector despite transmission unbundling.
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Real-time data from the Nigerian System Operator (NISO) showed grid load dropped from about 4,500 megawatts (MW) to 120 MW at 11:23 a.m., disrupting homes and industries across the nation.
The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) confirmed “a total loss of supply from the national grid” and assured customers that efforts were underway to restore power once stability was achieved.
READ ALSO: Nigeria’s Power Grid Collapses, First Nationwide Outage in 2025
NISO reported 1,055 MW had been recovered from 21 plants, with major contributions from Azura (291 MW), Okpai (258 MW), Afam (218 MW), Delta (179 MW), and Zungeru (175 MW). However, 13 plants still reported zero generation.
Transmission challenges worsened the crisis, with the Otukpo–Nsukka–New Haven 132kV line snapping during a thunderstorm, while Yola Disco’s Jambutu substation had to relocate transformers after flooding.
The Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC) estimated ₦66.26 billion or 1,866 MW lost to load rejection over the last eight months, a factor undermining investment in maintenance and expansion.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) condemned the collapse, demanding a public audit of the power sector and suggesting that the ₦4 trillion pledged by the Federal Government be redirected to public-led infrastructure development rather than handed to GenCos and DisCos.
NLC President Joe Ajaero called the recurring failures “a direct attack on national productivity” and accused a “capitalist ruling class” of engineering the sector’s systemic failures.
