Power Outage at Lagos Airport Sparks Confusion After Cable Damage
A sudden blackout struck the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, plunging parts of the terminal into darkness and causing significant confusion among passengers and staff. The outage, which occurred during peak travel hours, was reportedly triggered by a damaged electrical cable, possibly during maintenance work by a contractor.
Disruption to Airport Operations
The power failure disrupted critical passenger check-in processes, leaving many travelers stranded as airline personnel and airport officials scrambled to manage the chaotic situation. According to reports, as of 9:00 pm, technical teams were still working urgently to restore normalcy and prevent further disruptions to flight schedules and airport services.
Sources indicated that the outage may have been caused by a Chinese contractor performing maintenance at Terminal 2, which allegedly damaged a critical power cable. This incident adds to a growing list of power-related challenges at the airport, which has experienced intermittent outages over the years, including a significant blackout in 2024 that caused delays and a more recent outage in February 2026 at Terminal 1 linked to a fault during a power changeover process.
Response and Restoration Efforts
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria confirmed the disruption, attributing it to an issue during a power transition operation. FAAN engineers swiftly deployed to bridge the gap by transferring the electricity supply to a secondary grid and activating interim backup systems to restore services. In a statement, the agency apologized for the inconvenience, noting that the outage affected the baggage carousel and caused delays in luggage handling.
By approximately 9:49 pm, FAAN spokesperson Henry Agbebire confirmed that power had been restored to the aerodrome, with normal operations gradually resuming. He emphasized that the airport manager had acknowledged the incident and was overseeing the recovery process to ensure minimal impact on travelers.
Broader Power Sector Issues
In a related development, Ikeja Electric expressed regret to customers affected by outages across its network, citing limited gas supply as a factor affecting national grid power generation. The utility company assured that stakeholders in Nigeria's power sector are actively working to resolve the generation shortfall and improve supply stability, highlighting ongoing challenges in the country's energy infrastructure.
This event underscores the vulnerabilities in Nigeria's aviation and power sectors, with repeated outages at key facilities like the Lagos airport raising concerns about reliability and emergency preparedness. Authorities continue to monitor the situation to prevent future disruptions and enhance service delivery for passengers and stakeholders alike.
