The Nigeria National Grid (NNG) has outlined a number of measures aimed at addressing the recurring collapse of the country’s power system.
Persistent grid failures have been linked to a mix of technical challenges, poor maintenance of transmission infrastructure, and fluctuations in electricity generation capacity.
On Tuesday, the Grid experienced its second system disturbance in 2026, just four days after the first incident, and only weeks after a similar collapse on December 29, 2025, which triggered nationwide blackouts.
At the time this report was filed, available data indicated that power supply had dropped to zero megawatts across the 11 electricity distribution companies.
Electricity generation reportedly plunged from over 4,500 megawatts to 0 megawatts as of 11:00 a.m.
Further checks revealed that all 23 power generation plants connected to the national grid lost output during the incident, leading to zero power allocation for each of the 11 distribution companies.
In a post on X, while responding to a user, the Grid identified metering and grid expansion as key long-term solutions to the frequent system collapses.
“Metering is a huge part of the long term solution.
“Nigeria’s supply still depends on how much power is generated, transmitted, and how stable the grid is.
“So even with a meter, outages can still happen if there’s not enough electricity on the grid or if there are infrastructure failures.
“However, metering is a critical foundation for improved supply. When DisCos are properly paid for the electricity actually consumed, their revenues improve”, the Grid stated in part.
According to the Grid, improved metering would also help reduce debt across the electricity value chain.
“Also, customers stop paying estimated bills, which could be outrageous sometimes.
“The positives: GENCOs get paid, gas suppliers get paid, and maintenance improves.
“Over time, this creates the financial confidence needed to invest in transformers, lines, substations, and better customer service.
“Proper metering brings fairness, transparency, and trust then constant power comes later.
‘The grand is when metering is combined with grid expansion, better transmission capacity, gas availability, and strong regulation”, it added.
Although current generation hovers around 5,000 megawatts, former Minister of Power, Babatunde Fashola, had previously noted that the national grid has the capacity to transmit up to 12,000 megawatts.
Energy experts, however, estimate that Nigeria requires well over 30,000 megawatts to achieve adequate and reliable electricity supply for its population of more than 240 million people.
Meanwhile, former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticised the recurring grid collapse, describing it as evidence of a worsening national crisis.
In a statement shared on X on Saturday and titled “2026: The Collapse Continues”, Obi said the January 2026 grid failure mirrored developments from the previous year, noting that the first collapse of 2025 also occurred in January before several others followed.
“In January 2025, we witnessed the first grid collapse of that year, which was followed by several other collapses. Now in January 2026, the national shame has commenced with Saturday’s collapse,” he said.
Obi also decried Nigeria’s poor electricity access, stressing that the country has ranked lowest globally for three consecutive years.
“It is utterly disappointing that for three consecutive years, from 2023 to 2025, our nation has been ranked as having the least access to electricity globally, with nearly 100 million citizens left without power,” he said.
The former Anambra State governor compared Nigeria’s power generation capacity with that of other African countries, describing the disparity as troubling.
“When we compare our situation to other African nations, the disparity is stark. When we compare our situation with that of other African nations, the disparity is stark. South Africa, with its population of about 64 million, generates and distributes over 40,000 megawatts. Egypt, with a population of about 115 million, also generates over 40,000 megawatts. Algeria, with a population of around 48 million, generates and distributes over 50,000 megawatts of electricity.
“Meanwhile, Nigeria, the giant of Africa and its most populous nation with over 240 million people, produces a mere 5,000 megawatts, an absurdly low figure that severely hampers our productivity,” Obi said.
He attributed the prolonged power crisis to governance shortcomings, arguing that the sector urgently needs competent and committed leadership to function effectively.
“This power crisis is a direct result of continuous leadership failures. The power sector is critical and requires competent and committed leadership to thrive,” he added.