The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has declared a force measure following the collapse of a transmission tower along the Ikeja West–Osogbo 330kV line after a heavy rainstorm, disrupting power flow across parts of South-West Nigeria.
The incident, which occurred on April 16, 2026, affected one of the country’s critical transmission corridors responsible for delivering bulk electricity from Lagos to neighbouring states.
In a statement issued on Sunday by its General Manager of Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, TCN explained that the line tripped during the storm after a fault developed along the route.
According to the company, the fault was traced to a point about 14.9 kilometres from the Ikeja West (Ayobo) end of the line. A subsequent inspection revealed that Tower 515 had collapsed mid-structure due to the impact of the storm.
TCN said its engineers have since moved to the site and begun dismantling the damaged tower, while also mobilising materials and personnel to reconstruct the structure and restore full transmission capacity.
The Ikeja West–Osogbo 330kV line serves as a major backbone of Nigeria’s national grid, linking the country’s commercial hub, Lagos, to other parts of the South-West. Disruptions along this route often result in power supply challenges for homes and businesses in the region.
To cushion the impact, the company noted that alternative transmission lines are still in operation to evacuate electricity, while emergency response measures have been activated to speed up repairs.
By declaring force majeure, TCN indicated that the outage was caused by circumstances beyond its control—specifically extreme weather—which has temporarily limited its ability to fully meet transmission obligations on the affected line.
The development underscores ongoing concerns about the fragility of Nigeria’s power infrastructure, which continues to face pressure from ageing equipment, limited capacity, and increasing exposure to severe weather events.
Despite ongoing upgrades, the national grid has remained vulnerable to system disturbances and line failures, raising calls for greater investment in more resilient transmission systems.
TCN, however, assured consumers that efforts are underway to restore normal operations and that updates will be provided as repair work progresses.