Kehinde Fajobi
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has attributed Thursday’s national grid collapse to ongoing repair efforts in the power sector, according to a statement from spokesperson Ndidi Mbah.
Mbah explained that the disturbance, which occurred around 11:29 a.m., was triggered by a sudden frequency rise from 50.33Hz to 51.44Hz.
She stated, “Recovery efforts began immediately, with the Abuja Axis restored within 28 minutes, though restoration is ongoing.”
Mbah noted that a frequency spike led to issues at one of TCN’s substations, which was subsequently shut down to prevent further complications.
“We are actively engaged in significant repair works on several critical transmission lines and substations, including the 330kV lines along the Shiroro–Mando axis, major upgrades at the Jebba Substation, and the second Ugwuaji–Apir 330kV transmission line restoration,” she said.
She also highlighted that following an investigative report on prior grid collapses, TCN is addressing key weaknesses in the transmission system, focusing on technical upgrades and strategic improvements.
“Efforts are being made to close the gaps highlighted in the report and enhance grid stability and resilience,” Mbah added, warning that some instability may continue until all major repairs are completed.
Acknowledging the impact of these disruptions, Mbah appealed for public patience, stating that TCN remains committed to improving power reliability.
“We assure the public that all necessary measures are being taken to ensure the grid’s long-term stability,” she said.
The Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) also confirmed the outage, informing customers: “We experienced a system outage today at 11:29 hrs, affecting supply within our network. Restoration of supply is ongoing.”
As of Thursday morning, Nigeria’s national grid, which had previously collapsed on Tuesday, recorded only 2,323 megawatts of power generation, which later dropped to zero. This marks the 10th grid collapse incident since January.