Nigeria entered another round of nation-wide darkness on Monday after the national electricity grid collapsed in the early hours of the morning, triggering widespread outages across at least 28 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The latest collapse, confirmed by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) in an emergency briefing cited by GNA TV’s monitoring of Channels Television’s noon report, marks the country’s third major grid failure in six weeks and has already provoked strong reactions from labour unions, manufacturers, and state governments.
The collapse occurred at 1:47 a.m. according to system logs shared by a senior engineer at one of the generation companies (GENCOs), who requested anonymity due to regulatory restrictions. By dawn, electricity distribution companies (DisCos) nationwide issued outage notifications, indicating a total system shutdown. As of 2 p.m., only four percent of national generation capacity had been restored, forcing hospitals, airports, and critical infrastructure to rely heavily on diesel-powered backup systems.
TCN officials attributed the system failure to what they described as a “sudden drop in generation caused by multiple plant disruptions,” a justification that did little to calm a frustrated public. “We had simultaneous loss of power from three major plants supplying the northern and central transmission zones,” a TCN spokesperson said. “This resulted in frequency instability and a system collapse. Efforts toward full restoration are ongoing.”
However, that explanation was immediately contested by two GENCO sources, who accused TCN of “operating outdated transmission lines that cannot bear the current generation load.” The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has not issued a full technical assessment, but an insider suggested that the commission is “deeply concerned about recurrent structural weaknesses.”
The collapse comes at a time when Nigeria’s electricity generation has been fluctuating between 3,000 MW and 4,200 MW far below the national demand estimated at more than 15,000 MW. Experts say the gap in supply creates chronic instability, leaves no room for redundancy, and makes the grid vulnerable to shocks.
Economic Fallout Begins Immediately
Manufacturers, cold-chain operators, and large commercial clusters reported immediate losses, with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) estimating that the combined economic impact of the blackout could exceed N24 billion if power is not fully restored within 48 hours. MAN President Francis Meshioye, in a telephone interview monitored from Arise News Live, noted that many factories were already struggling with rising diesel prices and forex scarcity.
“To have a grid collapse at this time is devastating,” Meshioye said. “Diesel is now above N1,400 per litre in some parts of Lagos. Many of our members cannot run generators for 12 hours non-stop. Production schedules are disrupted, raw materials are perishing, and export obligations are at risk.”
Cold-chain businesses in Kano, Kaduna, and Port Harcourt also reported serious losses, especially those handling perishable goods like frozen poultry, dairy products, pharmaceuticals, and vaccines. Several operators warned that they might have to discard large stockpiles if power remains unstable through Tuesday.
In Lagos, fuel queues re-appeared in parts of Ikeja, Festac, and Egbeda as residents rushed to fill jerry cans for home generators. Power outages also disrupted traffic lights, adding pressure to an already congested metropolis.
Hospitals and Security Agencies On Emergency Mode
Hospitals across Abuja, Kaduna, and Enugu reported switching to backup generators immediately after the collapse. A senior medical officer at the National Hospital Abuja confirmed that emergency units had sufficient diesel reserves for 48 hours, but non-critical wards were already rationing power.
The blackout also forced security agencies to activate emergency protocols. A police source told GNA TV that intelligence operations in several northern states were temporarily disrupted due to communication systems depending on grid power. The Nigerian Correctional Service reportedly placed several facilities on heightened alert to prevent security lapses caused by prolonged darkness.
Airports in Lagos and Abuja remained operational due to independent power systems, but travellers complained of dimly lit waiting areas and stalled check-in processes during the early morning hours.
Labour Issues 48-Hour Ultimatum
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) condemned the grid collapse as “a national embarrassment” and issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Federal Government to provide a concrete and transparent plan to address the crisis. NLC President Joe Ajaero, speaking during a live interview monitored from TVC News, accused the government of failing to invest in the electricity sector despite repeated tariff increases.
“Nigerians are paying more for darkness,” Ajaero said. “Tariffs were hiked on the promise of improved supply, yet we are seeing more collapses, not fewer. This is unacceptable. If we do not see an emergency response plan within the next 48 hours, we will have no choice but to mobilize nationwide protests.”
Ajaero added that the collapse demonstrated deeper issues in the power sector, including systemic corruption, inadequate gas supply, vandalism of pipelines, decaying transmission infrastructure, and inconsistent regulatory oversight.
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) expressed similar concerns, calling for a forensic audit of TCN operations and a full restructuring of the privatized power distribution network.
Federal Government Holds Emergency Meeting
Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu convened an emergency meeting with senior officials of TCN, NERC, GENCOs, and DisCos to determine the immediate cause of the collapse and explore stabilization measures. According to a source present at the meeting, the minister demanded detailed technical data and accountability reports from the agencies.
“The minister was firm,” the source said. “He made it clear that Nigerians cannot continue to endure this level of instability. He directed TCN to accelerate repairs on critical transmission lines and insisted on real-time reporting.”
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to receive a briefing later tonight, with the Presidency reportedly considering a short-term intervention fund to stabilize generation and ensure gas supply to key plants.
Experts Warn of More Collapses Ahead
Energy analysts say Nigeria is entering a dangerous period unless urgent structural reforms are implemented. Dr. Charles Akinyosoye, a former NERC commissioner, noted that collapses will continue until Nigeria invests heavily in grid modernization, decentralization, and renewable capacity.
“Right now, the grid is like a fragile skeleton holding too much weight,” he explained. “We need regional mini-grids, better frequency management, smarter load balancing, and massive investment in gas infrastructure.”
Public Outrage Mounts
Across social media platforms, Nigerians expressed anger and frustration, with hashtags like #FixTheGrid and #BlackoutNigeria trending by mid-morning. Many users shared videos of darkness-shrouded neighborhoods and factories running noisy diesel generators.
Businesses with 24-hour operations, especially tech startups, banks, and logistic firms, reported crippling disruptions. Several ATM galleries in Abuja and Kaduna shut down temporarily because backup power could not sustain prolonged operations.
As of press time, restoration efforts were ongoing, but the uncertainty surrounding Nigeria’s fragile power infrastructure continues to raise serious economic, political, and social concerns. With labour unions threatening mass action and the business community counting escalating losses, the Federal Government faces mounting pressure to deliver a decisive and sustainable overhaul of the national grid.
