Monday evening, Nigeria experienced a widespread blackout after the national electricity grid collapsed, marking yet another significant disruption in power supply for the country. The outage occurred at approximately 6:58 PM, according to a statement from the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC).
AEDC confirmed that the collapse stemmed from a system failure within the national grid, affecting power distribution in its franchise areas. “Please be informed that the power outage being experienced is due to a system failure from the national grid at 6:58 PM today,” the company stated. They assured customers that they were collaborating with relevant stakeholders to restore power swiftly. “Rest assured, we are working with the relevant stakeholders to restore power as soon as the grid is stabilised,” they added.
In a similar vein, the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) reported a loss of power supply to several states including Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo. Emeka Ezeh, the head of corporate communications at EEDC, elaborated on the situation, stating, “The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC wishes to inform her esteemed customers of a general system collapse that occurred at 18:48 hours today.” He confirmed that all interface TCN stations were out of supply, making it impossible to provide electricity to affected customers.
EEDC expressed its commitment to keeping customers informed, stating, “We are on standby awaiting detailed information of the collapse and restoration of supply from the National Control Centre (NCC), Osogbo.” This highlights the ongoing challenge faced by distribution companies in maintaining reliable power supply in the face of systemic failures.
Similarly, the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) confirmed a loss of power supply at 6:48 PM and assured customers that efforts were underway to restore electricity. “Kindly be informed there was a system collapse at 18:48hrs which has resulted in a loss of power supply across our network,” EKEDC stated. They expressed hope for a speedy restoration and committed to keeping the public updated.
This incident marks the sixth collapse of the national electricity grid in 2024 alone, raising concerns over the reliability of the country’s power infrastructure. Previous collapses occurred on notable dates, including August 5 and July 6, underscoring a troubling trend.
Despite efforts by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to improve grid stability—reportedly reducing system collapses by 76.47 percent since 2019—frequent disruptions continue to plague the power sector. Ndidi Mbah, a spokesperson for TCN, noted that the country recorded 20 system collapses from 2020 until May 1, compared to 85 incidents between 2015 and 2019.
TCN has introduced a digital system known as the Generation Dip/Loss Detection System (GLDS) to better detect and respond to sudden drops in power generation.
