The national grid collapsed on Monday, as power supply hit near-zero levels across the country. As of mid-afternoon, power distribution data showed that power flow to consumers had almost completely slumped.
Load figures released at 4:44 pm on December 29, 2025, showed that just two electricity distribution companies were receiving supply. While Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company had 30 megawatts (MW), Abuja Electricity Distribution Company received miserably-low 20 MW. Other electricity distribution companies got zero MWs around that time.
This is the fourth time the national grid has collapsed this year, with the last reported on September 10.
In 2024, the national grid suffered 12 collapses, with the latest incident occuring on December 11. The number represented nine times more than what was seen in 2023.
Several factors are responsible for the frequent power grid failure in Nigeria, including infrastructure decay, poor maintenance, poor funding and vandalism.
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The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) recorded 131 cases of infrastructure vandalism in 2025. Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of TCN, Mr Abdulaziz, disclosed this in his end-of-year message to staff, partners, and stakeholders earlier this month.
“From January to November 2025 alone, the company recorded 131 vandalism incidents across its network. Management is working closely with the Office of the National Security Adviser, security agencies, and community vigilante groups to curb this menace,” he said, adding that TCN would continue sensitisation campaigns and community engagement to safeguard critical infrastructure.
He stressed this year had presented its unique set of challenges, from evolving regulatory landscapes to the persistent issues of infrastructure vandalisation and liquidity constraints affecting the TCN operations, noting, however, that the agency would overcome the obstacles.
He added that vandalism remained a major threat to grid stability, and pledged to continue the agency’s sensitisation programmes.
A Christmas in darkness
Nigerians went through their worst Christmas festivity this year, with power supply nearly unavailable across the nation, owing to the repair work carried out by the Nigerian Gas Processing and Transportation Company (NGPTC).
The NGPTC had assured last week that the repair work was nearly completed, promising that power supply would improve across the country.
“Repair works by the Nigerian Gas Processing and Transportation Company (NGPTC) are nearing completion, and the affected pipeline is expected to be restored soon,” the Nigeria National Grid confirmed on its X handle on Wednesday.
“This restoration will enable gas-fired power plants to resume normal operations, leading to improved electricity supply across the country.”
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In mid-December, the Nigeria National Grid confirmed that generation companies were facing acute gas supply constraints, which would hurt their ability to maintain optimal output and operational frequency.
“GenCos are experiencing gas supply constraints affecting their optimal output and general operational frequency,” the National Grid stated in an X post.
Earlier, Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, had assured Nigerians that electricity supply would be resstored in earnest after the temporary shortfall in power generation, but that is yet to happen.
“The drop in power supply followed an explosion on the Escravos–Lagos Gas Pipeline (ELP), compounded by acts of vandalism on critical gas infrastructure, which disrupted gas supply to several thermal power plants across the country,” he said.
The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) had also provided a similar assurance. “The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) wishes to inform the general public and power sector stakeholders that it is closely monitoring the ongoing repair work by the Nigerian Gas Processing and Transportation Company (NGPTC), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on the recent Escravos-Lagos Gas Pipeline (ELP) explosion,” the agency said.
“This explosion caused a significant drop in electricity generation. Recall that, following the explosion, several gas-fired power stations recorded low outputs, reducing available generation capacity on the national grid and resulting in a shortfall in electricity supply to customers.
“NISO is in close contact with the Nigerian Gas Processing and Transportation Company and has been assured that restoration work on the vandalised pipeline is nearing completion.”
However, several locations in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, Port Harcourt, Onitsha, Enugu, Warri, Yenegoa, Dutse, and Benin still experience severe darkness, denting the festivity across the nation.
