Blackout Across Nigeria as National Grid Suffers System Collapse.

Nigeria was plunged into widespread darkness once again after the national electricity grid suffered a major system collapse, leaving millions of homes and businesses without power and reigniting concerns about the country’s fragile energy infrastructure.

The collapse, which occurred in the afternoon, caused power generation to drop sharply across the country. From major cities to rural communities, electricity supply was disrupted almost instantly, forcing households and businesses to rely on generators and alternative power sources.

Reports from grid monitoring platforms, power generation fell to extremely low levels, with several regions recording zero megawatts for hours. Only a few areas experienced minimal supply, far below what is required to sustain normal economic and social activities.

According to the update, only two DisCos were receiving power at the time of the collapse. Ibadan DisCo was allocated 30 MW, while Abuja DisCo received 20 MW, bringing the total distributed power to 50 MW.

The post read: “DisCo Load | 29th December, 2025 | 3:12 PM
Ibadan DisCo    - 30 MW
Abuja DisCo    - 20 MW
Benin DisCo    - 0 MW
Eko DisCo     - 0 MW
Enugu DisCo    - 0 MW
Ikeja DisCo     - 0 MW
Jos DisCo     - 0 MW
Kaduna DisCo   - 0 MW
Kano DisCo     - 0 MW
PHarcourt DisCo - 0 MW
Yola DisCo     - 0 MW

Total: 50 MW.”

Subsequent updates from the grid indicated a slow improvement in power distribution. By 3:50 p.m., total load had increased to 120 MW, with Ibadan, Abuja and Benin DisCos receiving electricity, while others remained without supply.

Another update at 4:44 p.m. showed further recovery, with six DisCos receiving power and total distribution rising to 305 MW, although several parts of the country were still without electricity.

Grid operators confirmed that restoration efforts began shortly after the collapse, with engineers working to stabilise the system and gradually return power to affected areas. However, many Nigerians remained in darkness for hours, uncertain of when full supply would be restored.

For citizens, the blackout brought familiar frustrations. Small business owners struggled to keep operations running, hospitals and essential services switched to backup power, and families endured another long evening without electricity. On social media, many Nigerians expressed anger and fatigue over what they described as a recurring national challenge.

This latest incident adds to a long list of grid collapses recorded in recent years, highlighting persistent issues within Nigeria’s power sector, including ageing infrastructure, technical faults, and transmission bottlenecks. Despite repeated assurances of reforms and upgrades, system failures continue to disrupt daily life and economic productivity.

As power gradually returns, many Nigerians are once again asking difficult questions about accountability, sustainability, and the urgent need for lasting solutions. For now, the hope remains that the lights will stay on, and that one day, blackouts will no longer be a regular part of the national conversation.

Olotu Esenuifo, Egwu Patience.