Darkness returns as national grid crashes again
The Nigerian national electricity grid has collapsed once more, recording its second system failure within a week and cutting off power supply to millions of consumers across the country.
Reports indicate that electricity generation dropped to zero megawatts following the shutdown of all 23 power plants linked to the national grid. The latest incident occurred barely four days after a similar collapse on January 23, 2026, which triggered widespread blackouts nationwide.
Energy1 experts have attributed the recurring grid failures to deep-seated structural weaknesses, poor infrastructure investment, and the over-centralisation of power supply. Professor Wumi Iledare, an energy analyst, stressed the urgent need for substantial investment in power infrastructure alongside reforms in the electricity market to curb the persistent outages.
Key details of the latest grid collapse include:
- Date: January 27, 2026
- Power generation: Fell to 0 megawatts
- Areas affected: Nationwide, impacting all 11 electricity distribution companies
- Previous collapse: January 23, 2026, when generation dropped to 24 megawatts
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has reassured Nigerians of ongoing efforts to stabilise the power sector. The Minister of Power said plans are underway to adopt a distributed power model aimed at boosting local generation and reducing heavy dependence on the national grid.
