The sharp decline immediately translated into uneven power allocation across the country.
Nigeria’s fragile electricity system slipped into emergency mode on Monday after a collapse of the national grid sharply curtailed power generation and left most distribution companies without supply.
Data obtained from the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) showed that total generation plunged dramatically within one hour, falling from 2,052.37 megawatts to just 139.92MW between 2pm and 3pm, an indication of a major system disturbance.
The sharp decline immediately translated into uneven power allocation across the country.
Out of the 11 electricity distribution companies (DisCos), NISO reported that only three were able to take any load during the period, with total allocation standing at just 120MW nationwide.
Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) received the largest share at 80MW, while Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and Benin DisCo each took 20MW.
All other distribution companies were unable to load power from the grid.
DisCo Load | 29th December, 2025 | 3:50 PM
Ibadan DisCo - 80 MW
Abuja DisCo - 20 MW
Benin DisCo - 20 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…— Nigeria National Grid (@NationalGridNg) December 29, 2025
According to NISO, the DisCos that recorded zero allocation included Benin, Eko, Enugu, Ikeja, Jos, Kaduna, Kano, Port Harcourt and Yola, highlighting the scale of disruption caused by the collapse.
Independent monitoring also confirmed the severity of the situation.
According to the X handle that monitors Nigeria National Grid, as of 3:50pm on Monday, power supply remained extremely limited, with Ibadan DisCo at 80MW, Abuja DisCo at 20MW and Benin DisCo at 20MW, while Eko, Enugu, Ikeja, Jos, Kaduna, Kano, Port Harcourt and Yola DisCos were all at 0MW.
The incident underscores the persistent vulnerability of Nigeria’s power infrastructure, where a single grid disturbance can rapidly cascade into nationwide outages.
With generation sinking below 200MW at the peak of the collapse, the grid was effectively operating far below levels required to sustain meaningful electricity supply to homes, businesses and critical services.
As of the time of reporting, there was no official statement on the cause of the collapse or a timeline for full restoration, but the data points to another reminder of the systemic challenges facing the country’s electricity sector.
On September 10, 2025, SaharaReporters reported that yhe Nigerian National Grid again collapsed, sending the country into darkness.
According to an update provided by the official handle that reports issues around Nigeria’s electricity grid, the distribution of power as of then stood at : Abuja DisCo – 20MW, Benin DisCo – 10MW, Eko DisCo – 0MW, Enugu DisCo – 0MW, Ibadan DisCo – 20MW, Ikeja DisCo – 0MW, Jos DisCo – 0MW, Kaduna DisCo – 0MW, Kano DisCo – 0MW, Port Harcourt DisCo – 0MW, and Yola DisCo – 0MW.
In March 2025, the national power grid also suffered a major collapse, plunging several parts of the country, including Lagos, into darkness.
The incident came just days after the Nigerian government celebrated what it described as a “historic rise” in power generation to 6000MW.
However, the sudden grid disturbance saw power generation plummet below 1000MW at 2:00 PM, down from approximately 4000MW earlier before the incident.