The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has announced that residents across six northern states will experience a two-day electricity outage as the company carries out critical maintenance work on its transmission network.
Affected States and Areas
According to a statement issued on Saturday, July 18, 2026, by TCN's General Manager of Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, the outage will affect parts of Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe, Borno, Adamawa, and Taraba states. Specific locations include Bauchi, Gombe, Damaturu (Yobe), Maiduguri (Borno), Yola (Adamawa), and Jalingo (Taraba). Residents in these cities and surrounding communities have been advised to prepare for temporary disruptions to electricity supply while the maintenance exercise is underway.
Reason for the Planned Blackout
TCN explained that the outage is necessary to enable the installation of an Optical Ground Wire (OPGW) on the 330kV Jos-Bauchi-Gombe single-circuit transmission line at the Bauchi 330/132/33kV Transmission Substation. The company described the project as part of efforts to strengthen the national transmission infrastructure and improve the reliability of electricity supply across the region. Because of the maintenance work, the Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) and the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC) will temporarily be unable to receive bulk electricity from TCN for distribution to customers.
Power Restoration and Impact
TCN assured residents that electricity supply would be restored immediately after the installation work is completed. The statement read: "As a result, Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) and Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC) will be unable to off-take electricity for onward delivery to customers in Bauchi, Gombe, Damaturu, Maiduguri, Yola, Jalingo, and their environs. Please note that bulk power supply will be restored immediately after the exercise." The company appealed to affected customers for understanding, noting that the temporary inconvenience is necessary to improve the performance and reliability of the transmission network.
The announcement means residents and businesses across the affected states should make alternative power arrangements ahead of the scheduled maintenance, particularly those that rely heavily on uninterrupted electricity for commercial and essential services. This planned blackout comes shortly after a similar power interruption in parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, with thousands of households and businesses expected to be affected over the weekend.
