LCCI Decries Frequent Power Grid Failures After Second Collapse In 4 Days

The national grid suffered its second collapse in four days on Tuesday, plunging millions into darkness.

This is as the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) decried the frequent grid disturbances, saying they pose a grave threat to the economy.

According to the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO), the outage, hitting at 10:48 a.m., originated from a voltage disturbance at Gombe Transmission Substation and rippled across the network, tripping lines at Jebba, Kainji, and Ayede substations.

NISO, however, clarified that it was a partial collapse—not total, as some reports claimed—with no supply allocated to Distribution Companies (Discos) by 10:54 a.m.

Only the Delta Gas Power Plant generated 39 megawatts by 11:14 a.m.

The system operator further said that restoration began at 11:11 a.m. and was completed swiftly, but the rapid recurrence since Friday’s failure—blamed on tripped 330kV lines and disconnected units—underscored deep vulnerabilities.

Eko Electricity Distribution Plc had earlier yesterday informed its customers that “There was a system collapse at 10:48hrs, which has resulted in a loss of power supply across our network.

This will be the second grid collapse in four days, with the last occurring on Friday, January 23, 2026.

Recall that the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) had explained that the first grid collapse was due to the simultaneous tripping of multiple 330kV transmission lines, alongside the disconnection of some grid-connected generating units.

The LCCI expressed grave concern over the second national grid collapse within four days, which plunged the country into widespread darkness and disrupted economic activity nationwide.

Speaking about the issue, the director general of LCCI, Dr Chinyere Almona said, “this recurrence underscores deep structural and operational weaknesses in the power transmission system and poses a direct threat to manufacturers, MSMEs, and Nigeria’s overall business environment at a critical moment when the economy is expected to move from crisis management and stabilisation (2023–2025) into a consolidation phase in 2026.”

According to her, based on recent patterns and in the absence of urgent structural fixes, the LCCI estimates that Nigeria could experience tens of grid collapses in 2026 under a ‘business-as-usual’ scenario. With immediate reforms, system upgrades, and strict operational discipline, this figure can be reduced to zero incidents, moving the country closer to grid reliability benchmarks required for economic consolidation.

Almona noted that repeated grid failures impose severe costs on businesses through lost production hours, damaged equipment, increased reliance on self-generation, higher operating expenses, and reduced competitiveness, saying that these disruptions weaken investor confidence, worsen inflationary pressures, and undermine the credibility of economic reforms.

She called on the federal government to take a decisive and transparent position by instituting an independent forensic audit of the national grid covering transmission infrastructure integrity, system protection schemes, operational protocols, and governance of grid management, adding that the findings should form a critical part of a grid performance system reform in the short term.

“Without urgent intervention, recurring grid collapses will continue to undermine the government’s objective of entering a consolidation phase in 2026, while constraining productivity, exports, and job creation. A reliable power supply is foundational to industrialisation, competitiveness, and macroeconomic stability.

“The Chamber reiterates that restoring grid stability must be treated as an economic emergency, not merely a technical issue. At this stage, the causes of these collapses should be well understood, better managed, and effectively prevented. What we are witnessing today is therefore unacceptable and calls for decisive, coordinated action to safeguard national economic performance,” LCCI DG said.