FULL LIST: Seven Nigerian states to experience six-week power outage
FULL LIST: Seven Nigerian states to experience six-week power outage
A major transmission upgrade is set to disrupt electricity supply across parts of northern Nigeria, with the Nigerian Independent System Operator warning of reduced power availability in seven states over a six-week period.
In a public notice, the operator said the outage on the Jos–Gombe 330kV transmission line will run from April 9 to May 22, 2026, with disruptions scheduled weekly from Thursday to Sunday between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
The affected states include Plateau, Gombe, Bauchi, Borno, Adamawa, Taraba and Yobe.
According to the operator, the interruptions are required to enable the installation of Optical Ground Wire fibre optic infrastructure along the transmission corridor — a project aimed at strengthening grid management and communication systems.
“The outage is necessary to facilitate the installation of Optical Ground Wire fibre optic infrastructure along the line,” the notice stated.
The upgrade is part of broader efforts to modernise the national grid, particularly through improvements in Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), Energy Management Systems and telecommunications capacity.
NISO explained that while alternative supply routes will be deployed through existing 132kV lines, the limited capacity of those channels means consumers should brace for supply shortfalls during the outage windows.
“Due to inherent network constraints and limited capacity on these lines, customers may experience reduced power supply and service limitations within the stated outage window,” the statement added.
The operator said it is working with the Transmission Company of Nigeria and distribution companies to manage the impact and reduce disruptions as much as possible.
The planned outage highlights ongoing structural challenges within Nigeria’s transmission network, where infrastructure upgrades often come at the cost of temporary service interruptions due to limited redundancy.
However, NISO maintained that the project will deliver long-term gains, including improved grid reliability, faster fault detection, better load balancing and enhanced coordination across the power system.
It added that the fibre optic installation will also strengthen the communications backbone required for real-time monitoring and efficient energy delivery.
While apologising for the inconvenience, the operator urged residents in the affected states to bear with the temporary disruptions, noting that the upgrade is critical to building a more stable and efficient electricity network.
