Nigeria was plunged into widespread darkness on Monday following the collapse of the national electricity grid, leaving homes, businesses, and critical services without power across most parts of the country.
The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) confirmed the development in a statement released on X, explaining that the collapse caused a sharp drop in electricity supply nationwide. According to NISO, power generation fell drastically to about 50 megawatts, far below the 3,660 megawatts distributed across the country on Sunday, December 28, 2025.
NISO, which oversees the management and stability of electricity supply to distribution companies, said restoration efforts were already underway. However, as of the time this report was filed, only Abuja and Ibadan were receiving limited electricity supply from the grid.
The collapse has disrupted daily activities, forcing many households and businesses to rely on generators and alternative power sources. Small-scale traders, hospitals, and telecommunications services were among those affected by the sudden outage.
Nigeria has experienced repeated grid collapses in recent years, often blamed on aging infrastructure, poor maintenance, and operational challenges within the power sector.
The latest incident has again raised concerns about the reliability of the country’s electricity supply and the pace of ongoing power sector reforms.
NISO has assured Nigerians that efforts are ongoing to stabilize the grid and restore power nationwide, though no specific timeline for full restoration was given.
