Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, is facing another major blackout as its national power grid collapsed for the second time in a week.

The collapse occurred in the early hours of Thursday, leaving millions of Nigerians without electricity and disrupting businesses and services across the country.

The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), one of the 11 distribution companies in Nigeria, confirmed the incident in a statement to its customers.

The company said it could not provide power to the five states within its coverage region, namely Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo.

It also said that it was waiting for more information from the National Control Centre (NCC), which oversees the transmission and distribution of electricity in Nigeria.

The cause of the collapse is still unknown, but Nigeria’s power sector has been plagued by decades of underinvestment, mismanagement, and corruption.

The country relies heavily on gas-fired power plants, often affected by pipeline vandalism, gas shortages, and militant sabotage in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.

The country also has a huge gap between power generation and demand, estimated at 20,000 megawatts.

According to the World Bank, only about 60 percent of Nigerians have access to grid electricity, and those who do face frequent power cuts that last several hours a day. Many Nigerians resort to using diesel generators, which are expensive, noisy, and polluting.

The latest grid collapse comes just a week after the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) celebrated 400 days of uninterrupted power supply, a rare feat in the country’s history.

The TCN said it had improved its operational efficiency and network stability through various projects and initiatives.

However, critics have questioned the TCN’s claim, saying that it does not reflect reality.

They have also called for urgent reforms and investments in the power sector to address the chronic challenges and improve the quality of life for Nigerians.

Source: Business Day