Electricity supply across Lagos has allegedly come under significant pressure following an abrupt shutdown at Egbin Power Station and a concurrent fault on a major transmission line, according to the Nigerian Independent System Operator.
In a statement released on Thursday, the operator cautioned that the combined disruptions could result in prolonged outages in the state, Nigeria’s largest electricity market.
The agency disclosed that the problem began late on April 28 when Egbin Power Station experienced a major technical failure, forcing a complete halt in power generation. Within minutes, output reportedly dropped sharply from about 641 megawatts to zero.
“The Nigerian Independent System Operator wishes to inform the general public of a significant reduction in power generation currently affecting electricity supply across the country, particularly within the Lagos region.
“Egbin Power Station, which is the largest electricity-generating plant on the national grid and a major contributor to daily power supply in Nigeria, experienced a major operational disturbance.
“At approximately 8:21 p.m. on April 28, 2026, Egbin Power Station recorded a total loss of generation, dropping from about 641MW to zero output.
“This incident was caused by the failure of the plant’s central compressor, in addition to a malfunction of the circulating water pump system, which necessitated an immediate shutdown of all generating units to safeguard the facility.
‘The disruption has also sparked unconfirmed reports of a fatal incident involving a contractor, although officials have yet to verify the claim or provide further details.
“The situation has been aggravated by a separate fault on the Osogbo to Ikeja West 330kV transmission line, a key route for delivering electricity into Lagos. The operator said the outage has limited the ability to move available power into the city.
“Power supply to the Lagos region is currently further restricted due to the forced outage of the Osogbo–Ikeja West 330kV transmission line, thereby limiting the evacuation of available generation into the Lagos load centre,” the statement added
With both power generation and transmission systems impacted, authorities have begun rationing electricity in a bid to stabilise the grid and avert a broader system failure.
“Consequently, this loss of generation has created a significant supply shortfall, necessitating immediate load-shedding measures to maintain grid stability and prevent a wider system disturbance.”
Emergency interventions have been activated, including redistributing available electricity among distribution companies and giving priority to critical infrastructure.
“System operators have since deployed contingency measures, including the reallocation of available load across distribution companies, with priority given to critical national infrastructure. “In addition, efforts are ongoing to optimise generation from other available power plants to mitigate the impact of this development on electricity consumers.”
The operator expressed regret over the disruption, particularly for residents of Lagos and surrounding areas where outages have been most severe, assuring that efforts are underway to restore normal supply.
“We acknowledge the inconvenience this situation has caused electricity consumers, especially within Lagos and surrounding areas, and we assure the public that all relevant stakeholders are working closely to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.”
Located in Ikorodu, Egbin Power Station remains the largest thermal plant connected to Nigeria’s national grid, with an installed capacity of more than 1,300 megawatts.
