By Hosea Parah, Abuja

A major disruption at Nigeria’s largest power generating facility has triggered widespread electricity shortages, leaving millions of consumers facing prolonged outages nationwide.

The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) confirmed that the Egbin Power Station suffered a total system collapse around 8:21 p.m. on April 28, with output dropping suddenly from roughly 641 megawatts to zero. The failure was traced to a breakdown of the plant’s central compressor, alongside issues with its circulating water pump system, forcing an immediate shutdown of all generating units.

Power supply challenges have been compounded by a separate transmission fault in the southwest. The Osogbo–Ikeja West 330kV line is currently out of operation, restricting the flow of electricity into Lagos, the country’s economic hub.

The dual setbacks have created a significant gap between electricity supply and demand, prompting authorities to enforce load shedding across the grid to maintain stability. Distribution companies have been directed to ration available power, with priority given to essential services and critical infrastructure.

NISO said it has initiated emergency measures to cushion the impact, including reallocating power from other generating stations and revising distribution schedules. Efforts are ongoing to stabilize the grid and restore supply as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, residents and businesses, particularly in Lagos and surrounding areas, continue to bear the brunt of the outages, with concerns mounting over disruptions to economic activities and daily life.

Officials have apologized for the inconvenience and assured the public that repair work is underway. However, no official timeline has been announced for the full restoration of electricity supply.