Nigeria | Once Again, National Grid Collapses

NATIONAL GRID

-SEB EDITORIAL-

A Nation in the Dark | The September 10 Grid Collapse and Nigeria’s Power Paradox

On the morning of September 10, 2025, at about 11:23 a.m., Nigeria’s national electricity grid suffered yet another catastrophic collapse, plunging vast swathes of the country into darkness.

From the bustling streets of Lagos to the administrative corridors of Abuja, the blackout was swift, sweeping, and disturbingly familiar.

The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) confirmed the outage in a public notice, attributing the disruption to a sudden loss of supply from the grid. It was not just a technical failure, it was a stark reminder of the fragility of Nigeria’s power infrastructure and the persistent vulnerability of its citizens to systemic breakdowns.

This collapse marked the latest in a long and troubling history of grid failures. In 2024 alone, the grid reportedly collapsed twelve times, and over the past decade, more than a hundred such incidents have been recorded. Despite assurances from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) earlier this year that no disturbances had occurred in the first quarter of 2025, the events of September 10 shattered that brief illusion of stability.

The impact was immediate and far-reaching. Businesses halted operations, hospitals scrambled to activate backup generators, and households were left to endure the sweltering heat without fans or air conditioning. Restoration efforts began within hours, with AEDC working alongside the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to stabilize the grid. By mid-afternoon, partial power had been restored to select areas, including parts of Abuja and Lagos. However, cities like Port Harcourt, Jos, and Yola remained in darkness, underscoring the uneven and fragile nature of the recovery process.

Behind the technical jargon and megawatt statistics lies a deeper crisis, one of governance, investment, and accountability. Nigeria’s power grid is a relic of decades-old infrastructure, stretched beyond its limits by a rapidly growing population and an economy increasingly reliant on electricity. Vandalism, poor maintenance, and overloaded transmission lines have become chronic ailments.

While the government has approved independent power generation for select entities, such measures remain insufficient to address the systemic rot at the heart of the national grid.

The silence from key institutions like the TCN in the immediate aftermath of the collapse only fueled public frustration. Nigerians are not just grappling with blackouts, they are confronting a power sector that seems perpetually on the brink. With rising electricity tariffs and a cost of living crisis, the stakes have never been higher. The September 10 collapse was not merely a technical failure; it was a national reckoning.

As the lights flicker back on in some regions, the question remains: how many more collapses will it take before Nigeria truly powers up its future? The answer lies not in emergency fixes, but in bold reforms, transparent leadership, and a commitment to building a grid that can carry the weight of a nation’s aspirations. Until then, the darkness will continue to speak louder than the promises.