Electricity supply was disrupted in parts of Nigeria on Monday after power generation on the national grid fell sharply from about 3,840 megawatts (MW) in the morning to 476.70MW by 1pm.
Gatekeepers News reports that data from Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) showed that generation remained relatively stable earlier in the day before dropping sharply around 12:40pm, leaving most power plants recording zero output.
The decline of more than 3,300MW coincided with reports of electricity outages, as consumers complained about interruptions to supply in different areas.
Only a handful of generating stations, including Odukpani NIPP, Omotosho and Sapele, were contributing electricity to the grid as of the 1pm reading. Major power plants, including Egbin, Jebba, Shiroro and Kainji, recorded zero generation at the time.
As of 1:23pm, the NISO dashboard showed generation at about 480MW, with only five generating companies recording output.
The development comes amid persistent concerns about the reliability of Nigeria’s electricity supply, with recurring grid disturbances and generation shortfalls affecting households and businesses.
In Lagos, Ikeja Electric attributed reduced hours of electricity supply across its network to insufficient power allocated to it from the national grid.
The distribution company said it was engaging relevant stakeholders to improve electricity availability and would continue to distribute the power received as efficiently and equitably as possible.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Independent System Operator dismissed claims that the national grid had collapsed, saying there was no system-wide disturbance at the time.
A senior NISO official said the outages could have resulted from local technical issues, adding that the operator had directed its team to carry out checks to identify possible anomalies.
The sharp fall in generation highlights the continuing challenges facing Nigeria’s power sector, where fluctuations in available electricity frequently translate into reduced supply for consumers.
