National Grid Collapses Again in Nigeria, Sixth Time This Year
On Monday, October 14, 2024, Nigeria experienced yet another national grid collapse, plunging large parts of the country into darkness. This marks the sixth time the grid has collapsed this year, raising concerns about the stability of the nation’s power supply system.
The collapse occurred at approximately 6:18 pm, leading to a sudden drop in power generation from 3.87 gigawatts at 5 pm to 3.56 gigawatts at 6 pm, and eventually to 0.00 gigawatts by 7 pm. By 8 pm, there was no power being generated nationwide, leaving millions without electricity.
The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) was one of the first to confirm the grid collapse in a statement. According to Emeka Ezeh, Head of Corporate Communications at EEDC, “a general system collapse occurred at 18:48 hours today,” leading to widespread power outages across the company’s coverage areas, including Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states. Ezeh further explained that all interface Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) stations had lost supply, meaning that EEDC was unable to provide services to its customers.
The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) also confirmed the collapse, informing its customers that the outage was due to a “system failure from the national grid at 6:58 pm,” which affected the power supply in its franchise areas, including the Federal Capital Territory, Niger, Kogi, and Nassarawa states. In a message to its customers, the company assured that efforts were being made, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, to restore power as soon as possible.
This latest collapse comes amid growing frustration among Nigerians, who have had to endure frequent power outages despite ongoing efforts by the government to improve the country’s electricity infrastructure. The frequent grid collapses have sparked calls for urgent reforms in the power sector, with many questioning the sustainability of the current system.
While the exact cause of this particular collapse is yet to be disclosed, the National Control Centre (NCC) in Osogbo is expected to release further details in due course. In the meantime, power distribution companies across the country have urged customers to remain patient as they work towards restoring normalcy.
This repeated instability of the national grid not only affects everyday life but also disrupts businesses, industries, and essential services. As Nigeria grapples with the challenges of power generation and distribution, many are calling for more investment in alternative energy sources and a more resilient national grid system to prevent future collapses.
