News
Nationwide Blackout Looms As Generation Falls Below 4,000mw

… Indebtedness to GenCos hits N202.6bn
Power generation to the national grid dipped below the 4,000 megawatts mark over the weekend leaving customers across the country with limited electricity supply.
Checks on data provided by the National System Operator, NSO, an independent arm of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, showed that only 18 of the 25 power plants in the country supplied power to the grid.
Further checks showed that generation as of 12 noon yesterday was 3,518.7MW, indicating a drop of 18.6 per cent, compared to the average generation of 4,324.1MW recorded last Friday.
READ ALSO: National Grid May Collapse With 6,000MW Power — NYCN
The biggest drop by a single power plant was Azura-Edo IPP which recorded 256MW from the 403.18MW recorded last week. Checks on the Azura-Edo website showed that two of its three-generation units were on the grid.
The biggest suppliers to the grid were Egbin Power (529MW), Delta Power (502MW) and Kainji Hydro (426MW).
Indebtedness to GenCos hits N202.6bn
Checks on data made available to Vanguard by the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc, also indicated that the amount owed to the generation companies in 2022 was N202.6 billion.
According to NBET, GenCos were owed another N24.22 billion for power supplied to the grid in the month of January 2023.
DisCos move to pacify customers
With several customers expressing their frustration on social media, electricity distribution companies moved to explain the situation.
READ ALSO: Blackout As National Grid Collapses Again
Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC, explained that the power outage in parts of the capital city was due to problems with transmission facilities.
AEDC in a public notice posted on its official Twitter handle said: “The management of Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc. (AEDC) wishes to notify its esteemed customers in E2 Injection Substation feeding FHA Lugbe, Back of Dunamis and environs, Kuje, Pegi, Piwoyi and environs that the power outage they are currently experiencing is due to a fault on the 33kV Feeder H21 from the Transmission Station in Apo, Abuja.
”All responsible stakeholders are currently working hard to restore the power supply soonest.v v We regret any inconveniences caused.”
News
Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru
Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.
Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.
READ ALSO:Film Premiere: Edo In Talks With Embassies To Promote Safe Migration —Agazuma
La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.
The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.
The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.
He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.
News
Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses
The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.
DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.
A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.
READ ALSO:Xenophobic Attacks: Oshiomhole Tells FG To Retaliate Against South African Companies In Nigeria
“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.
“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.
“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.
News
N5m, N10m Zero-interest Loans: SheVentures Opens Applications For Women Entrepreneurs
First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to ₦10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.
The facility provides loans ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million under a general category, and ₦5 million to ₦10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.
At the centre of the offering is a 0% interest rate, with all charges embedded in a transparent structure.
Repayment is structured over four or six months, allowing businesses to match obligations with their cash flow cycles.
READ ALSO:I’ve Been Blacklisted In Music Industry For 13 Years – Seun Kuti
Yemisi Edun, Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.
“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively.
“Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.
This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs.”
“Access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs,” said Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo, Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB).
READ ALSO:My Beef With Wizkid Is For Life – Seun Kuti
“By removing the cost barrier and offering quick, flexible funding, this zero-interest loan is designed to safeguard existing jobs, enable businesses to invest in growth initiatives, and foster resilience in challenging economic conditions.”
Women-owned businesses account for a significant share of Nigeria’s small and medium-sized enterprises but continue to face high borrowing costs and limited access to credit.
Through these efforts, SheVentures tackles persistent financing gaps facing women-led businesses, combining targeted funding with broader support to empower women entrepreneurs, encourage business innovation, and enhance their ability to compete on a national scale.
Applications for the zero-interest loan are now open.Apply now.
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