Echotitbits – Nigeria News

Tag: NISO

  • Nationwide Blackout as National Power Grid Collapses for the First Time in 2026

    Nationwide Blackout as National Power Grid Collapses for the First Time in 2026

    According to The Guardian’s reporting on Saturday morning, Nigeria’s national electricity grid suffered its first total system failure of the year, with power generation plunging to 0.00 megawatts. The collapse reportedly occurred around 2:00 PM on Friday and disconnected all eleven electricity distribution companies (DisCos) from the transmission network, leaving major cities including Lagos, Abuja, and Kano without power.

    Real-time data from the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) indicated that major thermal and hydro power plants—including Egbin, Kainji, and Jebba—went offline simultaneously. While the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) had not, at the time of reporting, issued a detailed technical explanation, preliminary accounts pointed to a system disturbance that cascaded through ageing infrastructure.

    Daily Post and Vanguard also confirmed the development, with Daily Post quoting energy analyst Paul Igbashangev describing the repeated collapses as harmful to businesses and households, while Vanguard framed the incident as evidence of persistent fragility in the transmission network.

    Echotitbits take: This first collapse of 2026 reinforces that tariff adjustments alone do not address grid resilience. Unless Nigeria invests in spinning reserves, grid protection systems, and decentralized solutions (embedded generation and micro-grids), the same systemic failure pattern is likely to recur through the year.
    Source: The Guardian (Nigeria) — https://guardian.ng/energy/again-nigerias-power-grid-collapses-causes-nationwide-blackout/ 2026-01-24

    Photo Credit: The Guardian (Nigeria)

  • Grid Restored After Fresh System Disturbance, Operator Says

    Grid Restored After Fresh System Disturbance, Operator Says

    2025-12-29 18:00:00

    According to Punch, Nigeria’s electricity system recovered after a partial national grid collapse triggered by a mid‑afternoon system disturbance that disrupted supply across multiple areas.

    The report said the disturbance occurred around 2:01pm on Monday, December 29, with generation slipping after earlier peaking near the day’s highs. NISO attributed the disruption to tripping events affecting multiple generating units and key 330kV transmission lines.

    Punch added that gas constraints—linked to the earlier Escravos–Lagos gas pipeline vandalism—left the grid more fragile, worsening the impact once the disturbance hit. NISO also pointed to “island mode” interventions that helped keep supply flowing to some substations during the incident.

    Premium Times separately reported that distribution companies issued customer updates during the outage and said restoration would follow once the grid was stabilised, noting work to bring supply back “as soon as the grid is stabilised.” TVC News also reported that the national grid was back online, citing NISO’s account that the disturbance had been addressed.

    Echotitbits take: Nigeria’s grid is behaving like a stressed network—any gas disruption or transmission trip can cascade into wide outages. Watch for (1) clearer post‑incident diagnostics from the system operator, and (2) stronger pipeline security and gas supply stability going into 2026.

    Source: The Punch — December 29, 2025 (https://punchng.com/power-supply-restored-after-national-grid-collapse-niso/)

    The Punch 2025-12-29

    Photo Credit: The Punch

  • Another Grid Crash Renews Worries Over Nigeria’s Power Reliability

    Another Grid Crash Renews Worries Over Nigeria’s Power Reliability

    2025-12-30 08:30:00

    Reporting by Vanguard indicates that Nigeria recorded yet another national grid collapse, plunging many customers into blackout and renewing concerns about system reliability.

    The update noted that restoration efforts were underway as operators moved to stabilise supply after the latest failure. The incident adds to a string of recent collapses that have repeatedly disrupted households and businesses.

    Market watchers say the frequency of failures reflects deeper fragility—tight gas supply, transmission constraints, and limited redundancy—making the system prone to cascading trips.

    Premium Times reported customer advisories issued during the outage, including assurances that stakeholders were working to restore power “fully as soon as the grid is stabilised.” AllAfrica also carried an operator‑attributed account describing a “system disturbance… that led to a partial collapse,” underscoring ongoing grid fragility.

    Echotitbits take: The pattern is shifting from “rare emergency” to “routine disruption.” Watch whether recovery time shortens, and whether 2026 reforms prioritise transmission resilience and gas‑supply security alongside tariff and metering debates.

    Source: Vanguard — December 30, 2025 (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/12/nigerians-in-darkness-as-national-grid-collapses-again/)

    Vanguard 2025-12-30

    Photo Credit: Vanguard

  • Gas constraints squeeze power plants again, raising blackout fears nationwide

    Gas constraints squeeze power plants again, raising blackout fears nationwide

    Photo Credit: Punch
    2025-12-17

    Premium Times reports that the Nigerian Independent System Operator says electricity generation dipped after gas supply constraints linked to pipeline vandalisation reduced fuel availability to several plants.

    In parallel, Vanguard quotes Enugu Electricity Distribution Company attributing reduced supply across the South‑East to “low system frequency resulting from gas constraints” affecting generation companies.

    Together, the updates point to a familiar bottleneck: Nigeria’s grid remains highly sensitive to gas disruptions, so even a localized upstream incident can cascade into national load‑shedding and lower customer allocations.

    As the festive season drives higher demand, distribution companies are likely to continue issuing notices on reduced load allocation, while grid managers lean on hydro dispatch and contingency measures to keep frequency stable.

    Premium Times (NISO statement): “electricity generation on the national grid has dropped due to gas supply constraints arising from… gas pipeline vandalisation…”

    Vanguard (EEDC): EEDC blamed the drop on “low system frequency resulting from gas constraints affecting electricity generation companies.”

    Analysis/Echotitbits take: The short-term fix is operational (gas restoration + grid re-dispatch), but the longer game is investment and security for gas infrastructure. Watch for repair timelines, any further sabotage reports, and whether TCN publishes updated allocation figures.

    Source: Punch — December 17, 2025 — https://punchng.com/blackout-looms-as-gas-shortfall-hits-power-stations/