Nigeria Plunged into Darkness as National Grid Collapses Again
Nigeria is experiencing a nationwide blackout after the national grid collapsed on Monday, October 14, 2024, at 18:48 hours ¹. This is the sixth grid disturbance in 2024, and the 227th time in the last 14 years ¹ ². The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company confirmed the collapse, stating that all their interface TCN stations are out of supply, affecting customers in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States ¹.
Causes of the Grid Collapse
Experts attribute the frequent grid collapses to several factors, including:
- Insufficiently trained personnel
- Deficiencies in local manufacturing
- Poor utility performance
- Theft of grid equipment
- Weather conditions
- Gas supply issues
- Insufficient funding
- Aging grid infrastructure ²
Impact on Nigerians
The frequent blackouts have worsened the hardship Nigerians are facing, especially with the recent 240% hike in electricity tariff ¹. The outages also result in significant economic and social costs, with estimates suggesting a 2.86% decrease in gross domestic product (GDP) for every 1% increase in power outages ².
Restoration Efforts
The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company and Eko Distribution Company are working to restore power supply as soon as possible ¹. The Transmission Company of Nigeria is also working to allocate load to distribution companies based on demand information ².
Nigerians are advised to bear with the situation as efforts are underway to resolve the issue.
