By Erewunmi Peace

Nigeria’s national electricity grid has collapsed once again, leaving millions of households, businesses, and public institutions without power.

Preliminary reports indicate that electricity generation plunged from over 4,500 megawatts (MW) to as low as 24 MW, effectively cutting off supply to most electricity distribution companies (DisCos) nationwide.

The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) confirmed that the collapse occurred around early afternoon and was caused by a system-wide disturbance, which led to the tripping of multiple transmission lines and the disconnection of several generating units.

This is the first major grid failure of 2026 and follows a similar collapse in December 2025, raising concerns about the fragility of Nigeria’s power infrastructure and the reliability of electricity supply.

Efforts to restore the grid began immediately, and partial power has reportedly returned to some areas. The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) is expected to release a detailed statement on the cause of the collapse in the coming hours.

Millions of Nigerians continue to face disruption as homes, businesses, hospitals, and schools remain without electricity, highlighting the urgent need for robust measures to prevent recurring grid failures.