Nigeria: Further power outages possible nationwide through late December /update 1

Further power outages are possible nationwide through at least late December. While Nigeria occasionally experiences blackouts, the country has faced recurrent partial or total collapse of the national grid in recent months. The last national collapse occurred on the afternoon of Dec. 11. As of Dec. 12, the power has been partially restored, but the blackout persists in some areas, including parts of Abuja. Power resumption after outages may vary depending on the location; outages may last several days in some places, particularly in the north, and it is often unclear how long it will take before services are fully restored. While the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has not commented on the last collapse, TCN previously cited various reasons for the outages, such as technical issues and acts of vandalism.

Disruptions to business and telecommunications, including mobile SMS, voice, and internet services, are likely in areas experiencing blackouts. Transport disruptions will probably affect areas with malfunctioning traffic signals. The power disruptions could also result in the temporary unavailability of essential services, such as ATMs and gas stations. Additionally, blackouts could adversely affect security protocols, including alarm systems and electronic fences; opportunistic criminal activity could increase during electricity outages.