Ninth Grid Collapse Highlights Nigeria's Power Woes

Nigeria experienced its ninth national grid collapse this year, causing widespread power outages. The disturbance was due to line and generator trips, affecting infrastructure and prompting swift action by engineers. Persistent blackouts stem from ageing infrastructure and supply issues, underscoring the country's energy challenges.

Nigeria's national grid faced a partial collapse on Tuesday, marking the ninth such incident this year. The disruption has led to widespread power outages, with some regions regaining electricity after about an hour, while others continue to experience blackouts.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) reported that the grid experienced a disturbance at 1252 GMT, resulting from a series of simultaneous line and generator trips. This instability caused significant disruptions across the grid, especially affecting the capital, Abuja. TCN spokesperson Ndidi Mbah announced that engineers are actively working to restore power supply to affected states swiftly.

Nigeria's power issues are longstanding, attributed mainly to ageing infrastructure, vandalism, and insufficient gas supply for its thermal plants. Although the country has the potential to generate approximately 13,000 megawatts, its current grid can only distribute a fraction, necessitating costly fuel generators for continued operations.

(With inputs from agencies.)