Lagos may experience an extended power outage following the shutdown of the Egbin Power Station and a major fault on a key transmission line, according to the Nigerian Independent System Operator.
The agency revealed that Egbin Power Station suffered a serious operational failure that caused a complete halt in electricity generation, placing additional pressure on power supply within Lagos and other parts of the country.
Reports surrounding the incident have also sparked speculation over the alleged death of a contractor, although no official confirmation has been issued regarding the circumstances involved.
According to the operator, the disruption occurred around 8:21 p.m. on April 28, when electricity generation at the plant suddenly dropped from approximately 641 megawatts to zero.
The shutdown was linked to the failure of critical equipment, including the plant’s central compressor and circulating water pump system, forcing an emergency suspension of all generating units to protect the facility from further damage.
The operator further explained that the situation has been worsened by the outage of the Osogbo–Ikeja West 330kV transmission line, a major route for transmitting electricity into Lagos.
As a result of the combined disruptions, authorities have introduced load-shedding measures to reduce pressure on the national grid and prevent a wider collapse of the power system.
Emergency measures are currently being implemented, including the redistribution of available electricity across distribution companies, while priority is being given to critical national infrastructure.
Efforts are also underway to increase output from other available power plants in order to reduce the impact on consumers affected by the shortages.
The operator apologised to residents and businesses affected by the outages, especially those within Lagos and neighbouring communities, assuring the public that stakeholders are working to restore normal supply as quickly as possible.
Egbin Power Station, located in Ikorodu, Lagos, remains the largest thermal power plant connected to Nigeria’s national grid, making any disruption at the facility capable of causing widespread electricity shortages across the country.
