Nigeria’s electricity generation crashed from about 3,840 megawatts (MW) to 476.70MW on Monday afternoon, triggering power outages in parts of the country.
Data from the Nigerian Independent System Operator’s (NISO) portal, niggrid.org, showed that generation stood at approximately 3,840MW at 7am before dropping sharply to 476.70MW by 1pm.
The decline began around 12:40pm, with the vast majority of power plants reporting zero output. Major stations, including Egbin, Jebba, Shiroro and Kainji, alongside several gas-fired facilities, recorded no generation.
Only a handful of stations, including Odukpani NIPP, Omotosho and Sapele, were contributing electricity. By 1.23pm, the dashboard showed generation at about 480MW, with only five generating companies recording output.
The development coincided with reports of power outages, as consumers took to social media to complain about interruptions between 12.45pm and 1.20pm.
However, NISO dismissed claims of a national grid collapse, insisting that there was no system-wide disturbance despite the sharp drop in generation.
A senior NISO official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the outages could have resulted from local issues.
“There is no disturbance at the moment. Probably if something is happening, maybe it is a local issue, but there is nothing on the grid,” the official said.
The official explained that temporary outages or minor tripping in certain areas did not necessarily amount to a national grid collapse.
“Some of these things are tripping or other minor issues that, within minutes, you just see that it is fixed,” he said.
The official added that NISO had directed its team to carry out a quick system check to identify any anomalies.
Monday’s development comes amid recurring grid disturbances that have raised concerns about the reliability of electricity supply to homes and businesses.
The Federal Government recently approved plans to develop new eastern and western power grids to address recurring grid failures and improve the stability of the electricity system.
