Nigeria has experienced its 11th national grid collapse this year, plunging many parts of the country into darkness.
The collapse, which occurred on Wednesday afternoon, was confirmed by the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (Jos Disco). In a public notice signed by the Head of Corporate Communication, Friday Elijah, the company attributed the power outage to a loss of supply from the national grid at about 1:33 PM. The company assured customers that efforts were underway to restore normal power supply as soon as possible.
The widespread outage has drawn frustration from Nigerians, with many taking to social media platforms, including X (formerly Twitter), to express their grievances. Some users complained about extended periods without electricity, with the grid collapse compounding their plight. This latest collapse comes just weeks after a similar incident, highlighting the persistent challenges in the country’s power sector.
Other electricity distribution companies, including Ikeja Electric and Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), also reported power outages within their networks. EKEDC acknowledged a “system disturbance” at around the same time as the collapse and noted ongoing efforts with partners to restore supply promptly. However, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and the Ministry of Power have yet to confirm the incident or issue any statements regarding the situation.
The collapse coincides with concerns over gas supply to power generation companies (GenCos).
Earlier this week, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) directed gas producers to halt supplies to indebted GenCos. Reports indicate that the federal government and some GenCos owe over N2 trillion in legacy debts to gas producers, raising fears of further disruptions in power supply. The NMDPRA urged GenCos to ensure timely payments to sustain gas supplies.
This latest collapse higlights the urgent need for structural reforms in Nigeria’s energy sector. With mounting debts, strained relationships between gas producers and GenCos, and recurring grid failures, millions of Nigerians are left grappling with unreliable electricity—a critical challenge for the country’s development and economic stability.