Nigeria’s electricity system operator has attributed recent reductions in power allocations to Lagos, Abuja and northern parts of the country to multiple transmission line outages.
The Nigerian Independent System Operator said the outages reduced the amount of electricity that could safely be transferred through the national grid, forcing adjustments to generation dispatch and electricity allocations to some Distribution Companies.
NISO explained that having enough electricity generation does not automatically guarantee supply to a particular area because transmission infrastructure must also have sufficient capacity to evacuate and deliver power.
The Lagos corridor was affected by outages involving the Olorunsogo-Ayede, Benin-Egbin and Benin-Omotosho 330kV lines, while the Osogbo-Ikeja West circuit also remained unavailable for an extended period.
The operator said the loss of the critical lines reduced the amount of power that could safely be transferred into Lagos, leading to revised allocations for Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Ikeja Electric and the Sakete international supply.
The northern corridor also recorded disruptions after the Shiroro-Mararaba line and other critical transmission circuits developed faults. NISO said the outages affected power allocation to areas including Kano, Kaduna, Jos and Yola.
Abuja also experienced a temporary disruption after two transmission lines tripped simultaneously on August 29. Both circuits were restored later that morning.
NISO stressed that the adjustments were not caused by insufficient generation but by transmission constraints and the need to keep the national grid within safe operating limits.
The development highlights one of the major challenges facing Nigeria’s electricity sector: improvements in generation can still fail to translate into reliable electricity for consumers when transmission infrastructure remains vulnerable.
According to NISO, strengthening the transmission network remains essential to ensuring that available electricity can be delivered efficiently to homes, businesses and industries across the country.
