Nigerians across the country are facing yet another blackout as the national power grid collapsed on Monday afternoon.
At exactly 1:33 pm, the electricity generation on Nigeria’s national grid dropped to zero.
This latest system collapse is the seventh of its kind in 2024, leaving millions without power.
Reports indicate that the collapse affected both urban and rural areas, leading to disruptions in homes, businesses, and essential services.
One affected region is Bayelsa, which has been suffering from power outages for the past three months.
Residents of the oil-rich Bayelsa State are expressing frustration over the prolonged blackout.
One resident, John Ogbe, said, “It’s terrible that in a country with so much oil, we can’t even keep the lights on.”
The collapse was confirmed by data from the Independent System Operators’ (ISO) website.
According to ISO, total generation fell from a peak of 4,067.77 megawatts (MW) to zero.
As of Monday, the system failure has halted production across 22 power generation companies.
Nigeria’s power generation has faced instability for years, but recent breakdowns have worsened the situation.
In July, the nation experienced a similar collapse, plunging the country into darkness.
Experts say that frequent grid failures are largely due to aging infrastructure and poor management.
The collapse has also sparked concerns about the impact on Nigeria’s economy.
Industries, small businesses, and households are all affected by the lack of stable electricity.
The Azura-Edo Independent Power Project, one of the country’s largest power plants, reached a generation of 419MW before dropping to zero.
Similarly, Afam VI generated 382MW before it too shut down entirely.
Other major power plants, including the Delta Generating Company and Egbin Genco, saw their output drop from 359MW and 222MW to zero, respectively.
Hydropower stations were not spared, as Shiroro and Jebba Generating Companies also ceased production.
In recent months, Nigerians have endured an unpredictable power supply, with several reports of grid instability.
The government has been criticized for failing to address the recurring power failures.
In Bayelsa, residents continue to suffer, with many unable to refrigerate food, charge devices, or access clean water.
Despite being one of Africa’s largest oil producers, Nigeria has struggled to provide its citizens with steady electricity.
This ongoing crisis has led to renewed calls for the government to invest in modernizing the grid.
In addition to aging infrastructure, the power sector faces challenges related to funding, management, and regulatory oversight.
Some industry analysts believe privatization efforts have not yielded the intended results.
Nigeria has a population of over 200 million, yet only a small fraction of people have access to reliable electricity.
Frequent blackouts disrupt daily life, business, and education, impacting the nation’s development.
Electricity is generated primarily from natural gas and hydropower, but both sources are prone to disruptions.
Natural gas plants, like those in Geregu and Olorunsogo, are often affected by supply chain issues.
Hydropower stations, meanwhile, struggle with seasonal water levels and infrastructure problems.
Many Nigerians are calling on the government to diversify its energy sources to prevent these frequent failures.
