A devastating explosion at a Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) facility in Awada, near Onitsha, has plunged Anambra State and parts of neighbouring Enugu into complete darkness, disrupting homes, businesses, and public institutions.
The incident, which occurred around 2:34 a.m. on Wednesday, triggered a widespread power outage that has left millions without electricity and raised urgent concerns about the stability of Nigeria’s fragile national grid.
Confirming the development, the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) said the blackout was a direct consequence of the explosion at the TCN station.
Emeka Ezeh, EEDC’s Group Head of Corporate Communications, said the outage affected all customers across Anambra State and Oji River in Enugu State.
“The management of EEDC wishes to inform our esteemed customers that the current power outage is due to an explosion at the TCN Station at Awada, which occurred at about 2:34 a.m. today.
We are closely monitoring the situation with the TCN team, who are working assiduously to restore supply,” he explained.
Ezeh apologised to customers for the disruption and assured that restoration efforts were ongoing. He added that the utility company was in “constant communication” with TCN engineers and expected supply to return as soon as repairs were completed.
As of press time, the exact cause of the blast had not been officially disclosed. TCN has yet to issue a statement, but industry insiders suggest that equipment failure, grid instability, or sabotage could be possible triggers.
A senior official in the power sector, who requested anonymity, said:
“Explosions at transmission substations are not common, but when they occur, they usually point to technical faults, overload, or poor maintenance. Given the strategic importance of the Awada station, a thorough investigation is urgently required to prevent a repeat.”
The outage has already begun to take a toll on residents and businesses across Anambra and parts of Enugu. In Onitsha, traders at the popular Ochanja and Main Market complained that they had been forced to rely on costly generators to power their shops.
Mrs. Ngozi Ibe, a frozen foods dealer, lamented:
“I have spent over ₦20,000 on fuel in just one day to preserve my goods. If power is not restored quickly, many of us will suffer heavy losses.”
Similarly, hospitals in Awka and Nnewi confirmed they had switched to backup generators to sustain critical operations. The blackout has also disrupted water supply in several communities dependent on electrically powered boreholes.
The explosion comes at a time when Nigeria’s power infrastructure faces increasing threats from vandalism and theft.
In a related incident earlier this month, two suspects were arrested by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Katsina State for vandalising a TCN 132kV transmission tower.
According to TCN, the suspects were caught with 24 pieces of stolen tower components believed to have been removed from the Katsina–Daura transmission line.
The vandalism weakened the line and threatened supply to parts of the North-West.
Analysts warn that the combination of vandalism, underinvestment, and technical weaknesses continues to expose Nigeria’s power sector to instability.
Experts say the Awada explosion highlights the urgent need for Nigeria to overhaul its transmission and distribution infrastructure.
The TCN currently manages over 20,000km of transmission lines, but industry reports indicate that much of the network is ageing and in dire need of upgrades.
Energy economist Dr. Charles Okon told our correspondent that Nigeria’s grid failures have become “a chronic problem” with devastating economic consequences.
“Every major outage costs billions in lost productivity, disrupts small businesses, and undermines investor confidence.
The government must prioritise investment in modern transmission equipment, improve maintenance, and strengthen grid protection against sabotage,” Okon said.
While residents of Anambra and Enugu wait anxiously for electricity supply to return, attention is now on TCN and federal regulators to provide a clear explanation of what caused the explosion — and to prevent a recurrence.
Civil society groups have also called for greater transparency and accountability in the management of Nigeria’s power assets.
They argue that frequent blackouts have become a “national embarrassment” that must be addressed through long-term reforms.
For now, businesses and households continue to rely on alternative power sources, bearing the brunt of higher costs as the Southeast endures yet another major blackout.