Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has sharply criticized the latest collapse of Nigeria's national power grid, calling it a symptom of a deepening national crisis.
The grid failed on Friday, January 23rd, 2026, with electricity generation plummeting from over 4,500 megawatts to just 24 MW. The collapse left millions of households and businesses without power, as all 23 connected power plants ceased output, resulting in zero allocation to distribution companies.
In a statement on X, Obi lamented that the January 2026 failure mirrors the recurring collapses of the previous year. He highlighted Nigeria's dismal global ranking in electricity access, noting that nearly 100 million citizens have been without reliable power for three consecutive years.
Obi drew a stark comparison with other African nations to underline the deficiency. "South Africa generates over 40,000MW for 64 million people. Egypt produces over 40,000MW for 115 million. Meanwhile, Nigeria, with over 240 million people, produces a mere 5,000 megawatts—an absurdly low figure that severely hampers our productivity," he stated.
He attributed the persistent crisis to governance failures, asserting that the sector requires competent and committed leadership. Looking ahead, Obi urged Nigerians to prioritize competence and empathy in their leadership choices for the 2027 elections to enable a national turnaround.
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