Collapsed Nasarawa transmission towers cripple businesses, social life

Residents, students and business owners in Keffi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, are currently grappling with prolonged power outage, following the collapse of three transmission towers along the Karu-Keffi-Akwanga 132kV transmission line which occurred on October 7, 2026.

Arewa PUNCH gathered that the blackout has totally crippled socioeconomic activities in the area, just as it has also increased the cost of charging electronic devices, disrupted small businesses and made studying difficult for students preparing for examinations.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria, while explaining the situation of things in the areas, stated that on October 7, the blackout occurred at about 4:06 p.m following a heavy rainfall which was also accompanied by a heavy wind that collapsed the transmission towers servicing Keffi and Akwanga LGAs.

According to the company, the transmission lines tripped on over-current relay protection before investigations revealed that towers T78, T79 and T80 had collapsed.

The TCN said the damage left the outgoing 33kV feeders at the Keffi and Akwanga transmission substations unavailable.

Further explaining the technical implications, a staff of the defunct Nigeria Electric Power Authority, Paul Danjuma, said the 132kV transmission line supplies electricity to transmission substations, which in turn distribute power through lower-voltage feeders.

“The collapse of the towers required the affected transmission line to be isolated for safety reasons, thereby disrupting supply to customers connected to the affected substations,” he said.

Meanwhile, the TCN assured Arewa PUNCH that its engineers were already assessing the extent of damage and determining the materials required to commence restoration work.

The company, thus, apologised to affected customers and promised to provide updates as restoration progresses.

However, our correspondent reports that the disruption has continued to create hardship for residents, particularly those who depend on electricity to charge their phones and other devices, even as

the circumstances surrounding the reported losses could not be independently verified.

Small business owners have also reported declining sales.

At Agwan Lambu Market in Keffi LGA, a cold-drink seller, Chima Oganiru Onubiyi, said the lack of electricity had affected his ability to chill drinks, thereby reducing customer patronage.

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He said he previously sold at least 15 bags of sachet water daily but now struggles to sell five bags.

The outage has also disrupted students’ academic activities as examinations approach.

Onubuyi said, “The power outage in the area has greatly affected my business. Before now, I used to sell crates and soft drinks and cold sachet water to students and other residents in the area.

“I and other residents of Keffi and its environs are even more worried because of the heat season that we have just entered. If nothing is done to restore electricity within the shortest possible time, I don’t know how we will be able to cope with the situation.

“Therefore, I am appealing to the government at all levels, the TCN and the Abuja Electric Distribution Company to make more efforts to address the situation in order to reduce our sufferings.”

Also, Adachukwu Eze, a student living in one of the hostels in Keffi, said the lack of electricity had made night reading difficult.

She explained that students usually depend on electricity on campus to study at night, making the blackout a major distraction.

Eze appealed for urgent restoration of power, saying the situation is affecting students at a critical period.

She added, “This situation is getting out of hand. There is no electricity and buying fuel is also not easy for students. We are practically managing to get food stuffs even though they are expensive, but we have no choice because we have to eat to survive.

“Since the power outage, reading at night has become very difficult. Because how will a person be reading in the dark coupled with the heat? That will be difficult. I am therefore appealing that the electricity in our environment should be restored as soon as possible.”

Arewa PUNCH further reports that the collapse of the three transmission towers has directly or indirectly affected thousands of residents of Keffi LGA, especially students of the Nasarawa State University living in communities around the area.

For residents, it has increased the cost of charging devices; for traders, it has disrupted sales; and for students, it has complicated examination preparations.

As affected communities say they await speedy restoration, residents are hopeful of a swift intervention on the matter, and the return of reliable electricity supply in the area.