The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has declared that no system disturbance or national grid collapse occurred in the first quarter of 2025, despite persistent fluctuations in grid frequency and voltage levels.
In its newly released Q1 2025 report, the commission stated emphatically, “There was no incidence of system disturbance on the National Grid in 2025/Q1.”
The statement comes amid continued concerns over grid reliability and contradicts earlier reports by electricity distribution companies alleging a nationwide outage on February 12.
While the commission maintained that the grid remained operational throughout the period, it admitted that critical system parameters consistently operated outside their prescribed normal limits.
According to NERC, average daily frequencies dipped as low as 49.28Hz and peaked at 50.77Hz — both outside the standard operating range of 49.75Hz to 50.25Hz, though still within broader “stress tolerance limits” set between 48.75Hz and 51.25Hz.
Similarly, system voltage levels also breached acceptable thresholds. NERC reported that the grid experienced average lower daily voltages of 296.56kV and upper voltages reaching 346.82kV. These figures fell short of the acceptable range defined by the grid code — 313.50kV (lower) and 346.50kV (upper).
The commission acknowledged these breaches but defended the performance of the system operator (SO), who is tasked with maintaining stability across grid operations. NERC said it continues to push the operator to enhance real-time coordination to reduce risks associated with operating outside regulatory limits.
“The SO tracks a key indicator — frequency — to avoid potential disturbances. Continued coordination efforts are underway to bring performance back within ideal limits,” the report noted.
However, the commission’s statement contradicts multiple claims by distribution companies and industry observers who reported a major blackout on February 12. On that day, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) also denied any system collapse, describing the reports as “mischievous and misleading.”
NERC had similarly denied reports of a grid collapse in January, insisting that any supply disruptions were due to localised tripping incidents rather than systemic failures.
The latest report adds to public debate over the actual stability of Nigeria’s fragile power grid, which has been plagued for years by frequent collapses, poor infrastructure, and regulatory lapses.
Despite these challenges, NERC had earlier announced that distribution companies (DisCos) collectively raked in ₦553.63 billion in revenue in Q1 2025 out of ₦744 billion billed — a development that has sparked fresh scrutiny over service delivery versus financial performance in the electricity sector.
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