Nigeria was thrown into widespread darkness on Friday after the collapse of the national electricity grid, the first such incident recorded in 2026.
The system failure occurred around 1:00 p.m., when electricity load allocation to all distribution companies (DisCos) dropped to zero megawatts (MW), leading to a nationwide blackout.
Data obtained from the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) showed that total power generation fell to zero at about 12:40 p.m., triggering a complete shutdown of electricity supply across the country.
In a statement, NISO attributed the collapse to a system-wide disturbance caused by the simultaneous tripping of multiple 330kV transmission lines, alongside the disconnection of some grid-connected generating units.
“Preliminary operational reports indicate that the disturbance was associated with the tripping of multiple 330kV transmission lines, together with the disconnection of some generating units,” the operator said.
NISO confirmed that load allocation to 11 electricity distribution companies dropped to zero at 1:00 p.m., marking the first grid collapse of the year.
The operator said power restoration efforts began at about 1:15 p.m., in line with established grid recovery procedures.
“As of the time of this update, electricity supply has been restored to Abuja, Osogbo, Benin, Onitsha, Sakete, Jebba, Kainji, Shiroro, and parts of Lagos, while restoration continues progressively in other areas,” NISO stated.
It added that a detailed investigation into the cause of the collapse is ongoing, with full restoration and stabilisation of the grid remaining a top priority.
