Nigeria’s National Grid celebrates ‘no collapse’ streak amid public skepticism

Abdullateef Fowewe

Nigeria’s National Grid has taken to X on Thursday to tout a rare streak of stability, declaring no full system collapses in February, March, April, and counting.

The announcement highlights a shift from January’s multiple blackouts, framing it as significant progress in the country’s beleaguered power sector.

“No grid collapse in February, March, April and Counting. Progress..,” the official account posted, emphasising three straight months without a total system failure.

Public reactions, however, have been far from celebratory.

Replies flooded in with mockery, pointing out that dodging collapses doesn’t mean reliable power. Users lamented daily supply limited to just a few hours in many areas, or complete blackouts despite the grid’s claims.

One top reply read, “Progress? My area has had 4 hours of light total this month—congrats on not breaking what’s already broken.”

The post comes amid persistent challenges in Nigeria’s electricity infrastructure.

Generation capacity hovers at 30-36% of potential, with aging transmission lines and distribution issues fueling frequent partial outages.

While the grid’s stability marks a win for operators, experts note it underscores deeper vulnerabilities, as demand far outstrips supply in a nation of over 200 million.