No fewer than 38 Nigerians lost their lives to electricity-related incidents between July and September 2025, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has said.
According to the Commission’s third-quarter safety report for 2025, the death toll represents an increase from the 33 fatalities recorded in the preceding quarter, underscoring persistent safety risks within the power sector.
NERC disclosed that all the reported fatalities occurred at the distribution end of the electricity value chain, describing it as the most dangerous segment for consumers and workers alike.
It noted that neither the Transmission Company of Nigeria nor any of the generation companies recorded safety-related accidents during the period.
Although the total number of electricity accidents declined slightly from 60 in the second quarter to 57 in the third quarter, the number of people injured rose sharply from 19 to 33, indicating worsening consequences from fewer incidents.
The report further revealed that all electricity distribution companies recorded casualties during the quarter. Ikeja and Kano electricity distribution companies accounted for the highest number of casualties, with 10 cases each, representing about 15.15 per cent of the total 66 casualties recorded. Eko and Kaduna DisCos followed with eight cases each, accounting for about 12.12 per cent.
“This quarter continues the trend of the distribution sub-segment being the biggest driver of safety accidents in the sector,” the Commission said, adding that DisCos accounted for 93.33 per cent of reported accidents in the fourth quarter of 2024 and 100 per cent in the first and second quarters of 2025.
NERC explained that its oversight role is anchored on Section 34(1)(e) of the Electricity Act 2023, which mandates the Commission to ensure the provision of safe and reliable electricity to consumers. To achieve this, licensees are required to submit monthly health and safety reports as part of the conditions for operating in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.
The Commission disclosed that in the third quarter of 2025, it received 105 out of the 108 mandatory health and safety reports expected from licensees.
It warned that it would continue to enforce full compliance with reporting obligations and apply sanctions against defaulting operators, stressing that improved safety practices across the distribution network remain critical to reducing avoidable deaths and injuries in the power sector.
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