Grid Disturbance Cuts Nigeria’s Power Supply by 81.5%
Nigeria’s electricity supply plunged by 81.5 per cent to 675 megawatts (MW) at 1 p.m. on Monday, October 19, 2026, following a sharp decline in the number of power plants supplying the national grid. Data from the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) showed that electricity generation stood at 3,647MW at noon, with 21 power plants supplying the grid, before dropping to 675MW an hour later as the number of active plants fell to 12. The decline represented a loss of 2,972MW within one hour, with Azura, Egbin, Jebba and Kainji among the plants reported to have gone offline. The disruption followed higher generation levels earlier in the day, when supply reached 4,331MW at 1 a.m. and 4,458MW at 6 a.m. Electricity supply later recovered to 2,150MW by 5 p.m., although it remained below the morning levels. The development prompted electricity distribution companies, including Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and Ikeja Electric, to notify customers of reduced supply. AEDC attributed the interruption to a grid-related challenge and said the Transmission Company of Nigeria’s technical team was working to restore stability, while power supply was gradually returning to its feeders.
Similarly, Ikeja Electric said the reduced supply across its network resulted from a shortfall in the electricity allocated to it from the national grid. The company added that it was engaging relevant stakeholders to improve available supply and would distribute the electricity received as efficiently and equitably as possible. However, NISO said the grid had been stabilised following multiple trippings on the 330-kilovolt transmission network at approximately 12:40 p.m. on October 19. In a statement, the system operator said it immediately implemented corrective measures in collaboration with the Transmission Company of Nigeria to stabilise the system and restore normal operations. NISO added that restoration efforts had been completed and the national grid had returned to normal operation, clarifying that the incident affected only a section of the grid, contrary to unverified reports and claims.
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