The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has confirmed a widespread blackout across its franchise areas following a collapse of the national grid.
The disruption occurred at exactly 11:23 a.m. on Wednesday, September 10, cutting off electricity supply to thousands of homes and businesses.
In a statement, the company explained that the loss of power was not from its network but from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) which manages the national grid.
AEDC noted that the grid failure directly caused the sudden outage affecting customers under its coverage.
“Please be informed that the power outage currently being experienced is due to a loss of supply from the national grid at 11:23 hrs today, affecting electricity supply across our franchise areas,” the company announced.
The distributor assured its customers that it is working with relevant stakeholders, including the TCN, to restore supply as soon as the grid stabilises.
However, no timeline was given for full restoration.
Residents across Abuja and surrounding states expressed frustration, with many lamenting the recurring collapse of the national grid which often disrupts economic and social activities.
For businesses dependent on power, the outage has forced a switch to alternative sources such as diesel and petrol generators, further straining costs.
Nigeria has one of the world’s least reliable power grids, with frequent collapses leaving millions in darkness.
According to industry records, the grid has suffered multiple system failures this year alone, sparking renewed calls for urgent reforms in the power sector.
While AEDC assured customers of restoration “once the grid is stabilised,” energy experts warn that until long-term investments are made in transmission infrastructure, Nigerians will continue to experience frequent blackouts.
For now, residents are bracing for prolonged outages, waiting for the national grid to bounce back.
