Nigeria experienced a drastic 93.5% reduction in its power supply, plummeting to just 273 megawatts (MW) from the 4,182MW recorded on the preceding Monday. This significant drop occurred early today due to a complete system collapse caused by equipment failure or grid disturbance within the sector.

According to the Nigeria Electricity System Operator, a semi-autonomous division of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), power generation figures for various plants were as follows: Afam VI produced 0.70MW, Dadinkowa generated 0.00MW, Ibom Power generated 32.90MW, Jebba contributed 240MW, while Olorunsogo did not generate any power.

The Managing Director/CEO of TCN, Sule Abdulaziz, could not be reached for comment despite attempts to contact him through calls and text messages. However, a prominent figure in the industry confirmed the situation, stating, "The grid had been experiencing instability for several days leading up to the recent system collapse. As we speak, there is a widespread blackout."

Nigeria's electricity generation saw a significant decline on Tuesday, plummeting by 59 percent to 1,705 megawatts (MW) from the previous day's 4,182 MW, as of 06:00 hours. This drop was attributed to disruptions in the grid.

As a result of this power instability, many households and businesses have resorted to generating their own electricity, albeit at higher costs. This is due not only to the soaring price of diesel, currently priced at over N600 per litre, but also the sharp increase in petrol prices, which have risen by approximately 169 percent since June 2023, reaching over N500 per litre, compared to N186 per litre (for major marketers) in the previous month of May 2023.

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has assured Nigerians of forthcoming improvements in the national power supply. During a recent reception held in his honor, he stated, "We understand that achieving this won't happen overnight, but we firmly believe that once the groundwork is established, others can build upon it. I can confidently say that within the next six months to one year, we will begin to witness enhancements in the power sector."