The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has expressed serious concern over the second national grid collapse in just five days, which plunged Nigeria into widespread darkness and disrupted economic activities nationwide.
The Chamber said the recurrence highlights deep structural and operational weaknesses in the power transmission system, posing a direct threat to manufacturers, MSMEs, and the broader business environment at a critical time when the economy is expected to transition from crisis management (2023–2025) into a consolidation phase in 2026.
Based on recent patterns, LCCI warned that under a “business-as-usual” scenario, Nigeria could experience tens of grid collapses in 2026. The Chamber stressed that immediate reforms, system upgrades, and strict operational discipline could reduce this figure to zero, moving the country closer to the grid reliability needed for economic consolidation.
“Repeated grid failures impose severe costs on businesses through lost production hours, damaged equipment, increased reliance on self-generation, higher operating expenses, and reduced competitiveness,” the LCCI noted. “These disruptions weaken investor confidence, worsen inflationary pressures, and undermine the credibility of economic reforms.”
The Chamber called on the Federal Government to institute a decisive and transparent response by commissioning an independent forensic audit of the national grid. The audit should examine transmission infrastructure integrity, system protection schemes, operational protocols, and governance of grid management, with findings forming the foundation for short-term grid reform.
“Reliable power supply is foundational to industrialisation, competitiveness, and macroeconomic stability. Restoring grid stability must be treated as an economic emergency, not merely a technical issue,” LCCI said, adding that the causes of the collapses should now be well understood, better managed, and effectively prevented.
The Chamber warned that without urgent intervention, recurring grid failures will continue to undermine productivity, exports, job creation, and Nigeria’s broader economic objectives in 2026.
