The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) has attributed a recent partial disturbance on the national electricity grid to a voltage issue originating at the Gombe Transmission Substation.
According to NISO’s statement released on January 28, 2026, the incident occurred on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at approximately 10:48 a.m. A voltage disturbance began at the Gombe substation and quickly spread across parts of the transmission network, affecting the Jebba, Kainji, and Ayede transmission substations.
This propagation led to the tripping of several transmission lines and generating units, resulting in a partial system collapse rather than a complete nationwide blackout. Power generation briefly dropped significantly, reaching zero megawatts around 11:00 a.m. in the affected sections.NISO emphasized that the event impacted only portions of the grid and should not be classified as a total collapse, contrary to some initial media reports.
Technical teams responded swiftly, implementing corrective measures starting around 11:11 a.m. to stabilize the system. Restoration efforts were completed within hours, and NISO confirmed that the national grid has been fully restored, with electricity supply returning to normal across all affected areas.
This marks the second grid disturbance in Nigeria in 2026, following an earlier incident earlier in January. The recurring nature of such events highlights ongoing challenges in the country’s power infrastructure, including aging transmission equipment and vulnerability to localized faults.
NISO assured the public that the grid is now stable and encouraged stakeholders to refer to its official website for further updates.
