Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has criticised Nigeria’s electricity sector following the latest collapse of the national power grid.
He described it as a continuation of systemic failure caused by poor leadership.
In a statement titled “2026: The Collapse Continues,” Obi said repeated grid failures have become a national embarrassment.
“Now in January 2026, the national shame has commenced with yesterday’s collapse".
Obi noted that Nigeria has, for three consecutive years from 2023 to 2025, ranked among countries with the least access to electricity, leaving nearly 100 million people without power.
He compared Nigeria’s electricity output with that of other African nations, noting that countries such as South Africa, Egypt and Algeria generate over 40,000 megawatts of power.
In contrast, Nigeria produces just about 5,000 megawatts despite having a much larger population.
“Nigeria, the giant of Africa and its most populous nation, produces a mere 5,000 megawatts—an absurdly low figure that severely hampers our productivity".
The former Anambra State governor blamed the crisis on leadership failures and urged Nigerians to demand better governance ahead of the 2027 general election.
