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Why Nigeria’s National Power Grid Collapses and How It Works
The Nigerian national power grid has once again made headlines as it grapples with the challenges of providing consistent and reliable electricity to the nation.
The National Grid system, which is a vital part of Nigeria’s power infrastructure, was recently discussed on its official social media platform, providing the public with a detailed breakdown of how the system works and why it faces frequent issues such as collapses.
At the heart of the National Grid’s operation are three key players: Generation Companies (GenCos), Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), and Distribution Companies (DisCos).
GenCos are responsible for generating electricity in megawatts (MW).
This generated electricity is then transmitted by TCN, which ensures that it moves efficiently across the country in kilovolts (kV).
Finally, DisCos took over the job of distributing the electricity to homes, businesses, and other end users across Nigeria.
These three steps—generation, transmission, and distribution—form what is known as the power cycle.
The rate at which this cycle occurs is crucial and is technically referred to as the frequency, which is measured in megahertz (mHz).
The Nigerian national grid operates at a frequency of 50mHz.
The frequency must remain stable within this range because any significant deviation can lead to severe damage to electrical appliances and equipment.
Maintaining this balance is crucial for the safety of both the national grid system and the numerous devices that depend on consistent power.
However, when a fault occurs—whether it is from the generation, transmission, or distribution stages—it can throw the entire system off balance.
This is when the system triggers what is known as a “SELF TRIP” mechanism, designed to protect the grid from further damage.
This is what is referred to as a grid collapse. Essentially, the mechanism is designed to shut down parts of the grid to prevent a full-scale disaster.
In a bid to prevent this from happening, grid disturbances are sometimes classified as “preemptive resets” by system operators.
These disturbances occur when operators take action to reset the grid ahead of time, effectively forestalling a potential collapse.
This is done to maintain the stability of the grid and avoid widespread power outages that could have catastrophic consequences.
The Nigerian power sector has faced these challenges for years, with frequent grid collapses and power interruptions frustrating citizens and businesses alike.
The reasons behind these collapses can vary, from technical faults to issues with generation capacity or even failures in transmission and distribution infrastructure.
Despite these hurdles, efforts to stabilize the grid have been ongoing, with discussions around improving generation capacity, enhancing infrastructure, and better managing the frequency.
Candidates scheduled to retake the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) will start receiving text messages from today, Thursday. A total of 379,997 candidates across five South East states and Lagos are expected to resit the exam. JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, confirmed this during a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday.
He explained that 206,610 candidates in 65 centers in Lagos and 173,387 candidates across 92 centers in the Owerri zone of the South East were affected. Oloyede took full responsibility for what he described as a “sabotage” of the UTME and apologized to the candidates. Out of the 1.9 million who sat for the exam, more than 1.5 million scored below 200 out of a possible 400 marks.
A lecturer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Christian Okeke, has called on the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, to go beyond shedding tears and take full accountability by resigning from his position.
This comes after JAMB admitted to technical issues during the 2025 UTME. Okeke criticized the decision to have candidates in some centers rewrite the exam, describing it as unfair and emotionally distressing. He insisted that only the release of the original results can truly correct the situation.
According to him, JAMB initially defended the poor outcomes, where over 1.5 million candidates scored below 200, claiming it reflected their academic ability. He argued that it took public outcry and pressure from stakeholders before the board acknowledged its failures.
He described Oloyede’s emotional apology as insufficient, saying, “Tears won’t fix the damage. His resignation is the next responsible step.” Okeke also condemned the planned resit for candidates in 65 Lagos centers and 92 across the South East, calling it an inconsiderate move that shows a lack of empathy for the affected students and their families.
Activist and president of the North Central Youth Council, Sunday Asuku, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider replacing Vice President Kashim Shettima with a Christian candidate in the 2027 general election.
In a statement on Monday, Asuku stressed that Tinubu’s choice of vice president could make or break his chances for re-election. He argued that selecting a Christian vice president would not only be symbolic but also a strategic and unifying move for Nigeria’s democracy.
Asuku mentioned that the 2027 elections will be a crucial test of Nigeria’s commitment to unity and inclusivity. He pointed out that the Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 2023 elections created division, and that addressing this imbalance with a Christian running mate would help strengthen national cohesion.
He went on to say that religious balance in leadership is still a vital necessity in Nigeria’s diverse society. “Tinubu has a chance to correct the mistake of 2023 and make a strong statement of inclusion. This opportunity should not be missed,” Asuku said.
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