Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has condemned Nigeria’s electricity generation of about 5,000 megawatts as grossly inadequate, calling the recent national grid collapse a “national shame.” The collapse, which occurred on Friday, plunged the country into a total blackout, highlighting persistent failures in the power sector.
Obi noted that Nigeria has ranked among countries with the least access to electricity for three consecutive years, leaving nearly 100 million citizens without power. He contrasted the country’s power generation with other African nations, pointing out that South Africa and Egypt each generate over 40,000 megawatts despite having smaller populations, while Algeria produces over 50,000 megawatts.
The former presidential candidate attributed the crisis to deep-rooted leadership failures, emphasizing that the sector requires competent and committed leadership to function effectively. He urged Nigerians to prioritize competence and empathy when choosing leaders ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The grid collapse on Friday was the first such incident in 2026. According to the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO), power generation fell to zero megawatts around 1 pm, resulting in total electricity outage across all distribution companies (DisCos). The failure was linked to the simultaneous tripping of multiple 330kV transmission lines and the disconnection of some grid-connected generating units.
Obi’s comments come amid growing public frustration over the repeated failures of the national grid, which have continued to undermine productivity, disrupt daily life, and expose systemic weaknesses in Nigeria’s power infrastructure.