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Electricity supply has been restored to Nigeria’s national grid following several hours of nationwide blackout caused by a system collapse recorded on Monday afternoon. Latest data released by the Nigerian National Power Grid at 6:23 p.m. showed that power generation had resumed, with a total load of 505 megawatts distributed across several electricity distribution companies (DisCos). At the time of the update, Ibadan, Ikeja, Enugu, Kaduna, Kano, Eko, Abuja, Jos, Benin, and Yola DisCos were receiving varying levels of electricity supply, while Port Harcourt DisCo remained without power, indicating that restoration efforts were still ongoing. The collapse, which occurred around 2:00 p.m., plunged large parts of the country into darkness as power supply dropped to near zero across most distribution networks. Monday’s incident marks the fourth major national grid collapse recorded in 2025, underscoring persistent challenges within Nigeria’s power transmission system. Meanwhile, the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) confirmed that the grid experienced partial disturbances due to lingering effects of the vandalism of the Lagos–Escravos gas pipeline on December 10. Read Also: DG Protocol Rogo Urges Kwankwaso, Gov. Yusuf to Defect from NNPP to APC Power Generation Crashes as National Grid Collapses Gunmen Open Fire on Herders Along Bukuru Expressway According to NISO, the disruption led to the tripping of several generating units and critical 330kV transmission lines across the country. In a statement, NISO disclosed that the Delta generation complex successfully operated in island mode, sustaining 114 megawatts to key substations, including Oghara, Amukpe, Benin, and Efunrun. It added that swift intervention by the National Control Centre in Osogbo, Osun State, enabled the restoration of power nationwide. The system operator said investigations into the cause and sequence of events leading to the disturbance are ongoing, assuring Nigerians that measures are being put in place to prevent a recurrence. NISO also reiterated its commitment to proactive grid management and the application of best operational practices to ensure the stability and reliability of the national grid.

Nigeria’s national electricity grid collapsed on Monday after major power plants lost generation, plunging several parts of the country into darkness. Confirmed reports indicated that the grid went down at about 3:00 p.m., following a sharp drop in power generation across the system. Report says that electricity generation, which had peaked at about 4,800 megawatts earlier in the day, crashed to 139 megawatts as of 3:00 p.m. Read Also: Gunmen Open Fire on Herders Along Bukuru Expressway The cause of the collapse could not be immediately confirmed. However, the incident occurred amid efforts by the Nigerian Independent System Operator to ramp up power generation after recent gas supply constraints linked to pipeline vandalism. As of the time of filing this report, all 22 power plants connected to the national grid had reportedly lost generation.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Sunday departed Lagos for Europe as part of his end-of-year break and ahead of his official visit to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed that the President of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, invited President Tinubu to participate in the 2026 edition of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW 2026) Summit, scheduled to hold early in January. According to the statement, the week-long summit is an annual global event that brings together leaders from government, business, and civil society to shape strategies for sustainable development. Read Also: End of an Era: Prominent Nigerians and Global Icons We Lost in 2025 Tinubu’s Forest Guards Initiative Takes Off as 7,000 Personnel Graduate FIRS Declares NIN as Automatic Tax ID for Individual Nigerians The statement added that the 2026 edition of the summit, themed “The Nexus of Next: All Systems Go,” will focus on connecting ambition with action across innovation, finance, and people, while showcasing pathways for global progress and sustainable growth. President Tinubu is expected to return to the country after the summit, the statement reiterated.

The Federal Government has completed the training and graduation of more than 7,000 newly recruited forest guards from seven frontline states, marking the operational takeoff of the Presidential Forest Guards Initiative. The graduation ceremonies were held on December 27, 2025, across Borno, Sokoto, Yobe, Adamawa, Niger, Kwara and Kebbi states, following the completion of a three-month intensive training programme. Launched in May 2025 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the initiative is aimed at strengthening internal security by denying terrorists, bandits and kidnappers access to forest corridors used as hideouts and operational bases. Each participating state was directed to recruit between 2,000 and 5,000 personnel under the programme. Although the scheme experienced a seven-month delay, the graduation of the recruits signals the commencement of forest guard operations across the affected regions. In a statement issued on Saturday by the Office of the National Security Adviser, the government said the training covered physical conditioning, patrol and tactical movement, ethics, legality and human rights, as well as arms handling and use-of-force procedures in line with an approved Arms Management Manual. Read Also: Multiple Casualties Reported in Zamfara Roadside Explosions End of an Era: Prominent Nigerians and Global Icons We Lost in 2025 Kano Patriotic Front Marks Anniversary, Reaffirms Development Agenda According to the statement, 98.2 per cent of the trainees successfully completed the programme, while 81 recruits were dismissed on disciplinary grounds. It also disclosed that two trainees died due to pre-existing medical conditions. “The training programme recorded a 98.2 per cent completion rate. A total of 81 trainees were disqualified on disciplinary grounds, while two trainees passed away due to pre-existing medical conditions. All successful participants have been fully certified and cleared for operational service,” the statement said. It added that the graduating forest guards are indigenous to their respective local government areas, a factor expected to enhance terrain familiarity, community trust and intelligence gathering in efforts to counter banditry, kidnapping and the illegal exploitation of forest resources. Speaking on deployment, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, said the guards would be posted to their duty locations immediately after graduation. He explained that the new personnel would work alongside existing security agencies to protect vulnerable communities and reclaim areas previously overtaken by criminal elements. “These Forest Guards are not just uniformed personnel. They are first responders, community protectors and a critical layer of Nigeria’s security architecture. They will hold ground, gather intelligence and support security agencies in reclaiming territories previously overtaken by criminal elements,” Ribadu said. He added that there would be no delay between graduation and deployment, noting that salaries and allowances would commence immediately. “By protecting our forests, we are securing our territory. And by securing our territory, we are protecting our people. The Federal Government will not relent,” he said, stressing that the initiative would be expanded nationwide. The programme is being implemented through collaboration involving the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Department of State Services, the National Park Service, as well as the armed forces, police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

The Federal Government has confirmed that debris from precision airstrikes carried out during a joint anti-terrorism operation with the United States landed in Offa, Kwara State, and Jabo community in Sokoto State. The confirmation was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris. According to the statement, the airstrikes targeted Islamic State (ISIS) enclaves located within the Bauni forest axis of Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State. The operation was conducted between 12:12 a.m. and 1:30 a.m. on December 26, 2025, with the approval of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The Minister explained that debris from the strikes fell in Jabo, Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State, and near a hotel premises in Offa, Kwara State. He assured that no civilian casualties were recorded in either location, adding that security agencies swiftly secured the affected areas to prevent further harm and ensure public safety. Read Also: FG Explains International Security Collaboration After Terrorist Airstrikes in North West Terrorism Won’t End With Bombs, Gumi Cautions Nigerian Govt Panic in Kwara as Explosions Damage Buildings in Offa The statement noted that the operation was carried out in close coordination with the United States government, deploying 16 GPS-guided precision munitions using MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles launched from maritime platforms in the Gulf of Guinea. According to intelligence reports cited in the statement, the targeted locations were being used as assembly and staging grounds by foreign ISIS elements infiltrating Nigeria from the Sahel region, working in collaboration with local affiliates to plan and execute large-scale terrorist attacks within the country. The Federal Government reiterated its commitment to safeguarding civilian lives, stressing that all counter-terrorism operations are guided by strict adherence to international law and respect for Nigeria’s sovereignty. The confirmation followed an earlier announcement by United States President Donald Trump, who disclosed the airstrikes via his Truth Social account on Thursday night. President Trump said the US military targeted ISIS militants responsible for attacks on Christian communities, describing the operation as a decisive response to ongoing terrorist violence in Northwest Nigeria.

The Federal Government has confirmed that Nigeria remains engaged in structured security cooperation with international partners, including the United States, to combat terrorism and violent extremism, following recent airstrikes on terrorist targets in the North West. This was disclosed in a press release issued on Friday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which explained that the air operations were the outcome of sustained intelligence sharing and strategic coordination between Nigeria and its partners. According to the Ministry, the collaboration has resulted in precision airstrikes against identified terrorist locations in the North West, carried out in line with established international practice and bilateral understandings. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria confirms that Nigerian authorities remain engaged in structured security cooperation with international partners, including the United States of America, in addressing the persistent threat of terrorism and violent extremism,” the statement said. Read Also: FG Reaffirms Commitment to Student Safety as 47 Unity Colleges Reopen It added that the cooperation involves intelligence exchange, strategic coordination, and other forms of support, while fully respecting Nigeria’s sovereignty and the principles of international law. The government reiterated that the protection of civilians remains at the core of all counter-terrorism efforts. “Nigeria reiterates that all counter-terrorism efforts are guided by the primacy of protecting civilian lives, safeguarding national unity, and upholding the rights and dignity of all citizens, irrespective of faith or ethnicity,” the Ministry stated. It further stressed that terrorist violence against any group is unacceptable, noting that attacks targeting Christians, Muslims, or any other communities are an affront to Nigeria’s values and international peace and security. The Ministry also disclosed that Nigeria continues to work closely with its partners to weaken terrorist networks, disrupt their sources of funding and logistics, prevent cross-border threats, and strengthen national security and intelligence capacity. The confirmation comes amid reports that the United States plans to provide additional support to northern states to enhance surveillance, security operations, and counter-terrorism efforts following the recent military action. Reports further indicate that the airstrikes followed an order by United States President Donald Trump on Christmas night, authorising military action against ISIS elements operating in North West Nigeria, whom he accused of carrying out deadly attacks against Christian communities. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs assured that the Federal Government would continue to engage relevant partners and keep the public informed through official channels.