Former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has attributed the incessant collapse of the national grid to leadership failures in the country, describing the situation as disappointing.

 Mr Obi said in a statement on Saturday said, “This power crisis is a direct result of continuous leadership failures. The power sector is critical and requires competent and committed leadership to thrive.

“It is utterly disappointing that for three consecutive years—from 2023 to 2025—our nation has been ranked as having the least access to electricity globally, with nearly 100 million citizens left without power.”

The national grid, on Friday collapsed for the first time in 2026, with the power generation dropping to 0 megawatts (MW).

Mr Obi, who recalled that grid collapses occurred in 2025, said the first grid collapse this year exemplified commencement of national shame in the country.

Citing other African countries such as South Africa, Algeria and Egypt with higher capacity to generate more megawatts of electricity, the politician decried Nigeria’s low megawatts despite being the largest country on the continent.

He stated, “When we compare our situation to other African nations, the disparity is stark. South Africa, with its population of about 64 million, generates and distributes over 40,000 megawatts. Egypt, with about 115 million population, also generates over 40,000 megawatts.

“Algeria, with around 48 million population, generates and distributes over 50,000 megawatts. Meanwhile, Nigeria, the giant of Africa and its most populous nation with over 240 million people, produces a mere 5,000 megawatts—an absurdly low figure that severely hampers our productivity.”

Mr Obi stressed the need for competent and empathetic leadership, urging Nigerians to elect individuals with the capacity and dedication necessary to initiate a significant turnaround for the country.