The recent national grid collapse on Tuesday has been traced to a voltage disturbance at the Gombe transmission substation, according to the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO).
In a statement released on Tuesday, the System Operator clarified that the incident did not constitute a total system collapse, contrary to earlier media reports. It was the second grid disturbance recorded in 2026.
The voltage disturbance, which originated at the Gombe transmission substation, spread to other parts of the grid, affecting multiple substations. However, electricity supply was swiftly restored across the impacted areas following immediate corrective actions by NISO’s technical teams.
NISO emphasized that the disturbance only impacted part of the national grid, describing it as a “partial system collapse,” rather than a full-scale grid failure. It also noted that the event led to the tripping of some transmission lines and generating units, causing temporary disruptions.
The disturbance, which was traced from Gombe, also impacted the Jebba and Kainji transmission substations and caused brief disruptions at the Ayede substation. However, the system was stabilized within hours, and normal grid operations resumed shortly after the corrective actions were implemented.
Despite the quick recovery, NISO acknowledged that some transmission lines and generating units had tripped during the incident, affecting power generation, which dropped to zero megawatts at approximately 11:00 AM.
The national grid in Nigeria has faced recurring disturbances in recent years, with multiple collapses recorded in 2025, the most recent of which occurred on December 29. Tuesday’s event marks the second grid collapse of 2026.
