Nationwide Blackout Hits Nigeria as DisCos Report System Disturbance

A widespread power outage hit Nigeria on Friday as electricity distribution companies (DisCos) reported a major system disturbance that disrupted supply across their networks.

The disruption, which began at 2 p.m., was confirmed by the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) and Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) in separate statements. According to data from the Independent System Operator (ISO), power generation plummeted from 3,366.88 megawatts (MW) to 1,517.53 MW at the time of the incident.

Ikeja Electric acknowledged the blackout, stating that supply across its network had been affected. The company assured customers that restoration efforts were underway in collaboration with key stakeholders. Similarly, Kano DisCo informed its customers that it was unable to distribute electricity across its service areas.

“We are appealing to our valued customers to kindly bear with us as we monitor the situation for the quickest restoration,” KEDCO said. The company also urged residents to remain vigilant and protect electricity infrastructure from vandalism during the outage.

The blackout comes shortly after the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) announced a record-breaking peak generation of 5,801.84 MW and a maximum daily energy output of 128,370.75 megawatt-hours—the highest in the country’s history.

TCN Managing Director Sule Abdulaziz reaffirmed the company’s commitment to achieving its 10,000MW generation target, citing an improved evacuation capacity of 8,500MW. He emphasized that the government remains focused on modernizing the national grid to ensure a stable power supply for Nigerians.