Apo Transformer Fault Triggers Blackout in Parts of Abuja

A fault at the Apo substation has disrupted electricity supply to parts of Abuja after a 100MVA 132/33kV transformer tripped in the early hours of 22 May 2026.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria said the incident was linked to heavy rainfall and was first detected around 12:56 a.m.

According to the company, an initial inspection found oil spillage around the transformer, while a follow-up check uncovered faults in the red and yellow phase 33kV bushings.

TCN said the red phase bushing had already been restored, with work continuing on the yellow phase. Its engineers are also working to return the transformer to service as quickly as possible.

To reduce the impact on customers, TCN asked the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company to supply affected feeders from other transmission sources within its franchise area. The company said it regretted the inconvenience caused to AEDC and electricity users on the affected lines.

AEDC later confirmed that it had received TCN’s directive, but noted that the alternative feeders could not cover all the areas affected by the outage.

The distributor said the transformer tripped on differential protection and created a capacity constraint at Apo transmission substation, affecting several feeders in Abuja. It added that the available alternative routes could only support customers in parts of Kogi and Niger states, not all the locations hit by the blackout.

AEDC said it was working with TCN to support repairs and restoration efforts, and expressed hope that power would return to the affected lines as soon as possible.

The outage is the latest disruption to hit the capital’s electricity supply, following earlier reports of blackouts affecting embassies, hotels, government buildings and the airport.