Nigeria’s national electricity grid collapsed on Monday, forcing the power sector to switch to emergency supply and leaving the majority of the country without electricity.
Naijaonpoint reports that the disruption caused power generation to drop sharply, creating uneven distribution across the country.
Data from the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) showed that total electricity generation fell drastically within an hour, dropping from 2,052.37 megawatts to just 139.92 megawatts between 2 pm and 3 pm.
This sudden decline affected the capacity of distribution companies to supply power.
Out of the 11 electricity distribution companies, only three were able to receive electricity during the collapse. Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) received 80MW, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and Benin DisCo each received 20MW.
The remaining distribution companies, including Eko, Enugu, Ikeja, Jos, Kaduna, Kano, Port Harcourt, and Yola, could not access any power from the grid.
Independent monitoring confirmed that as of 3:50 pm on Monday, power supply was still limited to IBEDC, AEDC, and Benin DisCo, while the other distribution companies remained without electricity.
The event highlights the ongoing fragility of Nigeria’s power system, where a single disturbance can quickly affect the whole country.
With generation dropping below 200MW, the grid could not provide sufficient electricity for homes, businesses, and essential services.
No official explanation has been given for the collapse, and there is no confirmed timeline for full restoration.
This follows a pattern of repeated grid failures, including incidents in March and September 2025, which also left large parts of the country without electricity.
The latest collapse comes shortly after the government announced a rise in national power generation to 6,000MW, a figure that quickly fell below 1,000MW during Monday’s disturbance.