JUST IN: Power drops to zero as national grid collapses

Nigeria’s national electricity grid collapsed on Friday, recording its first system failure of the year, according to data from the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO).

The data showed that power generation dropped to zero megawatts (MW) during the incident, while load allocation to all 11 electricity distribution companies (DisCos) also fell to zero.

As of 1:00 pm on Friday, the affected DisCos included Benin, Eko, Enugu, Ikeja, Jos, Kaduna, Kano, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Abuja and Yola, all of which recorded zero power allocation.

The development comes after a series of grid collapses recorded in 2025, with the last system failure occurring on December 29.

Despite repeated assurances and infrastructure upgrades aimed at improving grid stability and increasing transmission capacity, the national grid has continued to experience recurrent disruptions.

The Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) had earlier announced the restoration of an additional 450MW of generation capacity to the grid following the completion of scheduled maintenance at the Geregu National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) plant.

In a separate effort to enhance grid resilience, the NISO disclosed on November 9, 2025, that it partnered with the West African Power Pool Information and Coordination Centre (WAPP-ICC) to conduct a synchronisation test between Nigeria’s electricity grid and the broader West African power network.

However, Friday’s system collapse has again raised concerns over the reliability and sustainability of the country’s power infrastructure.