Nigeria’s electricity system slipped into emergency mode on Monday following another collapse of the national grid, triggering a sharp drop in power generation and widespread outages across the country.
Data from the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) showed that total power generation fell steeply from 2,052.37 megawatts to 139.92MW within one hour, between 2:00pm and 3:00pm, indicating a major system disturbance.
The collapse resulted in uneven and severely limited power allocation nationwide. Out of the 11 electricity distribution companies (DisCos), only three were able to receive power, with total allocation standing at just 120MW.
Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) received the highest allocation at 80MW, while Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and Benin DisCo each received 20MW. All other DisCos recorded zero allocation.
NISO data showed that Eko, Enugu, Ikeja, Jos, Kaduna, Kano, Port Harcourt and Yola DisCos were unable to load power from the grid during the period.
Independent monitoring by the Nigeria National Grid account on X confirmed the situation. As of 3:50pm on Monday, power supply remained extremely limited, with only Ibadan, Abuja and Benin DisCos receiving any electricity, while the remaining DisCos were at 0MW.
The incident highlights the persistent fragility of Nigeria’s power infrastructure, where a single grid disturbance can cascade into nationwide outages. With generation dropping below 200MW at the peak of the collapse, the grid operated far below levels required to sustain electricity supply to homes, businesses and essential services.
As of the time of reporting, there was no official explanation for the collapse or a timeline for full restoration.
The latest incident adds to a series of grid failures recorded in recent months. On September 10, 2025, the national grid collapsed again, leaving most DisCos without power. In March 2025, another major collapse plunged large parts of the country, including Lagos, into darkness.
The latest failure occurred shortly after the federal government celebrated what it described as a historic rise in power generation to 6,000MW. However, the grid disturbance saw output plunge below 1,000MW, down from about 4,000MW earlier in the day, once again exposing deep structural challenges in Nigeria’s electricity sector.
