Over 20 communities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been plunged into darkness during the Easter celebrations, following a series of technical faults and an explosion on power feeders.
The Federal Government had declared Monday and Tuesday public holidays in observance of Easter.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) cited a technical fault and an explosion on the 11kV incomer current transformer (CT) as the cause of the widespread outages. The incident affected feeders supplying power to areas such as Keffi Garage, Bank Road, Angwan Rama, Tsohon Kasuwa, CRDP, Makwala, Low-cost, Dadin Kowa, Angwan Ninzo, Tudun Amama, Angwan Kwano, Angwan Tsarin Mada, Gunduma, Gitata, Gangaren Tudun, Angwan Wake, and their environs.
Additionally, residents in Pyegl, Kurudu, Gidan Mango, Orozo, Karshi, and surrounding communities are also experiencing blackouts due to another technical issue.
AEDC assured the public that its technical teams are working diligently to resolve both faults and restore power supply as swiftly as possible.
The disruption comes amid government efforts to expand Nigeria’s national grid. Power Minister Adebayo Adelabu recently announced that the Federal Government aims to increase grid capacity by 4,000 megawatts (MW) by the end of 2026, under a strategic directive from President Bola Tinubu.
Nigeria, which currently generates approximately 5,000MW for a population exceeding 200 million, requires a minimum of 30,000MW to meet national demand, according to energy experts.
Bolaji Tunji, Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and Media Relations to the Minister, noted that the government has engaged qualified Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) firms to accelerate implementation of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI).
The initiative’s pilot phase, completed in October 2023, included the installation and commissioning of 10 power transformers and 10 mobile substations across the country.
Adelabu stated that the current administration has breathed new life into the Siemens-led project, which had previously stalled. He credited recent progress to a focused government agenda and affirmed the ministry’s commitment to delivering measurable improvements in Nigeria’s power sector.
