Outrage and anger have trailed the announcement of a month-long power outage across a couple of northern states namely Plateau, Gombe, Bauchi, Borno, Adamawa, Taraba, and Yobe.
The announcement, made by the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) through the Transmission Company of Nigeria, in a public notice outlined the power outage is factored on the installation of Optical Ground Wire (OPGW) fiber optic infrastructure along the Jos–Gombe transmission route. The installation, and consequently power outage, would run from April 9 to May 22, 2026, more than a month.
The commission explained that the outage would occur every Thursday through Sunday, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eventually, this outage would affect millions of homes and companies in these seven northern states, many of which already struggle with erratic electricity before this period.
“We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work to deliver a more reliable and efficient power supply to the affected states”, NISO appealed.
This announcement by NISO reflects a serious issue of power supply that has plagued average Nigerians, especially in recent times as the industry has long suffered from frequent grid instability, system failures, and poor visibility.
The operator emphasized that long-term improvements in grid intelligence and operating efficiency are made possible by the short-term annoyance. NISO stated that it is working closely with stakeholders, such as the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Jos Electricity Distribution Company, and Yola Electricity Distribution Company, to accomplish this.
The announcement further explained that once the installation is completed, Stronger real-time monitoring, quicker fault detection, better load balancing, and overall better energy delivery throughout the region are all anticipated outcomes of the OPGW. Additionally, it will fortify the telecommunications infrastructure required for the functioning of contemporary power system.
Hence, for now, affected customers are being urged to make appropriate plans and look into alternate power sources.
It is not the first time that a power outage notice has been put out. ENigeria Newspaper findings show that Ikeja Electric put out a total 89 power outages notices between 2022 and 2026.
