Echotitbits – Nigeria News

Tag: TCN

  • Nigeria’s Power Infrastructure Suffers Second National Grid Failure Within Five Days

    Nigeria’s Power Infrastructure Suffers Second National Grid Failure Within Five Days

    According to reporting by Premium Times, the Nigerian electricity supply has once again been thrown into total disarray following the collapse of the national power grid on Tuesday. This latest incident marks the second time in less than a week that the country has experienced a nationwide blackout, severely impacting economic activities and residential comfort across various states. Distribution companies, including those in Abuja and Eko, confirmed the loss of power supply, stating that they were awaiting technical resolution from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

    The recurring failure of the transmission system has sparked renewed concerns regarding the Federal Government’s ability to stabilize the energy sector. Analysts note that these frequent disturbances undermine industrial productivity and increase the cost of doing business as firms are forced to rely on expensive alternative energy sources. While the TCN typically attributes such collapses to technical “disturbances” or “system frequency fluctuations,” the lack of a permanent solution remains a point of contention for energy stakeholders.

    The Daily Trust also confirmed the development, noting that “Nigeria’s electricity grid yesterday recorded its third collapse in a month,” highlighting a rapid decline in grid stability since the start of the year. Similarly, ThisDay reported on the widespread darkness, quoting an industry source who stated, “The national grid collapsed on Tuesday afternoon, leaving power supply across most of the country at near-zero levels.”

    Echotitbits take: This frequent grid instability suggests deep-seated infrastructural decay that the 2026 budget allocations must address urgently. Watch for the Ministry of Power to provide a formal roadmap for grid decentralization, which experts argue is the only long-term solution to these recurring collapses.

    Source: The Guardian – https://guardian.ng/news/national-grid-bounces-back-after-crashing-to-39mw/ January 28, 2026

    Photo Credit: The Guardian

  • Power Sector Crisis Deepens as National Grid Records First Collapse of 2026

    Power Sector Crisis Deepens as National Grid Records First Collapse of 2026

    Nigeria’s national electricity grid reportedly suffered a total system collapse on Tuesday, January 27, plunging large parts of the country into darkness as engineers worked on staged restoration.

    The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) attributed the failure to a sudden drop in system frequency after a gas supply disruption at a major thermal station, reigniting debate over the fragility of national infrastructure.

    Manufacturing groups say frequent collapses are driving up production costs as factories rely on diesel generation, while consumers complain about weak communication from distribution companies during outages.

    Echotitbits take: Despite huge investment claims, the grid remains Nigeria’s Achilles’ heel. The durable fix is decentralization: states should accelerate independent power markets enabled by the 2023 Electricity Act, rather than waiting on a single national spine.
    Source: The Guardian – https://guardian.ng/news/national-grid-suffers-first-collapse-of-2026-generation-falls-to-zero/ 2026-01-27

    Photo Credit: The Guardian

  • 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

  • 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/

     

  • Nigeria Records Highest Power Transmission of 5,420.30MW, TCN Declares

    Nigeria Records Highest Power Transmission of 5,420.30MW, TCN Declares

    Nigeria’s power industry has achieved yet another improved all-time national peak of 5,420.30MW, which was effectively transmitted through the national grid at a frequency of 50.10Hz at 9:15pm on August 18.

    This was disclosed by the General Manager, Public Affairs, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Ndidi Mbah.

    TCN, in a statement on Thursday in Lagos, said this was the highest ever recorded in the nation’s power sector to-date, surpassing the previous peak of 5,377.80MW recorded on August 1 by 42.50MW.

    She added that the gradual, but steady improvement in electricity delivery in the nation’s power sector was attributable to the keen interest of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The general manager said the government has been piloting programmes and projects geared towards growing the power sector as well as the collective efforts of all power sector players in the value chain.

    Mbah noted that TCN was committed to working assiduously to further stabilise, rehabilitate and expand the grid and urged Nigerians to lend their support by safeguarding electricity installations nationwide.

    Idowu Sowunmi

  • Revealed! Real reasons Buhari sacked Usman Mohammed as TCN Managing Director

    Revealed! Real reasons Buhari sacked Usman Mohammed as TCN Managing Director

    By Idowu Sowunmi

    The real reasons President Muhammadu Buhari approved the sack of Usman Gur Mohammed as the Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, through the Minister of Power, Sale Mamman, have been uncovered.

    Mohammed, according to various sources at the TCN office, was removed because of his alleged high-handedness and his inglorious role in the termination of the appointment of a labour leader, Chris Okonkwo, who was TCN General Manager, Special Duties.

    It would be recalled that Okonkwo was sacked on April 24, 2020 and this generated negative reactions from the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC), saying the labour leader was sacked by Mohammed without due process.

    TUC immediately wrote to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, describing the sack of Okonkwo who is also the incumbent SSAEAC President General as an exercise in futility because it’s only the Minister of Power that could exercise such authority in the extant laws.

    “The crisis in Transmission Company of Nigeria has been severally reported to your office, despite your intervention which is ongoing, the Managing Director of the company has issued a sack letter.

    “This is an exercise in futility because it is beyond the power of the Managing Director; only the minister can exercise such power in the extant laws.

    “It is also an attempt to dare labour and an embarrassment to labour community for sacking a sitting president when a matter is already before an arbiter and has not been concluded.

    “This is a declaration of war and we are prepared for him; as law abiding citizens, we have brought the matter for urgent intervention,” TUC wrote in a letter of protest to Ngige.

    The festering development led to the presidential approval for the dismissal of Mohammed on Tuesday.

    Mamman, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Aaron Artimas, titled: “Reorganisation/New Appointments at the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN” announced Mohammed’s sack and appointed Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz as TCN Managing Director in acting capacity.

    “As part of continuing measures to reposition and improve the performance of the power sector in the country, the Honourable Minister of Power Engr. Sale Mamman, hereby announces major changes at the Transmission Company of Nigeria.

    “Accordingly, the Managing Director of the TCN, Usman Gur Mohammed, has been removed from office with immediate effect. He is being replaced with Engr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, as Managing Director, in acting capacity.

    “The Honorable Minister has also confirmed the appointment of four directors who have been on acting position in the company for some time.

    “They are; Engr. Victor G. Adewumi, Executive Director, Transmission Services Provider; Engr. M. J. Lawal, Executive Director, Independent Systems Operator; Ahmed Isa-Dutse, Executive Director, Finance and Accounts and Justin I. Dodo, Executive Director, Human Resources and Corporate Services.

    “All the changes/appointments have been approved by President Muhammadu Buhari,” the statement said.