Fault at Gombe substation triggers partial national grid collapse in Nigeria

The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) reported that a voltage disturbance originating at the Gombe transmission substation caused a partial collapse of the national grid on a Tuesday in January 2026, the second such disturbance recorded that year. The disturbance propagated beyond Gombe, affecting the Jebba, Kainji and Ayede transmission substations, with some transmission lines and generating units tripping as a result. NISO stated the event was a partial rather than total system collapse, contrary to some media reports. Technical teams undertook immediate corrective actions to stabilise the network, and electricity supply to the affected areas was fully restored within a few hours of the disturbance.

A voltage disturbance at the Gombe transmission substation spread across the network, causing tripping of transmission lines and generating units at multiple substations including Jebba, Kainji and Ayede.

1. Voltage disturbances at a single substation can cascade rapidly across a national transmission network, underscoring the need for robust inter-substation protection coordination.
2. Rapid deployment of stabilisation measures can limit a localised fault from escalating into a total system collapse.
3. Clear and prompt public communication from system operators helps correct inaccurate media reporting about the scale of grid disturbances.

leadership.ng/national-grid-collapse-caused-by-fault-at-gombe-substati...