Image: Egbin Power Plc

The board and management of Egbin Power Plc expressed deep sorrow for the loss of a contractor following an industrial accident during underwater maintenance operations at the plant in Lagos State.

The incident, which reportedly occurred on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, led to the shutdown of operations at parts of the facility and the disconnection of the plant from the national grid.

It was learned that the contractor, a diver engaged for underwater work inside the plant’s lagoon-based pump house, died after an accident during maintenance activities.

The diver was working inside the lagoon water pump system when a pump reportedly came on unexpectedly, trapping him in the impeller and leading to his death.

Following the incident, operations in the affected section of the plant were suspended as safety protocols were activated, eventually resulting in a broader shutdown of the plant.

The management of the company confirmed the incident, expressing sadness over the demise of the contractor.

Egbin Power Plc is Nigeria’s largest electricity generation plant with an installed capacity of 1,320MW.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated Mr Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe as Minister of Power, subject to confirmation by the Senate.

The nomination has been transmitted to the Senate for screening and confirmation in accordance with the Constitution.

The nomination follows the resignation of the former Minister, Adebayo Adelabu, who stepped down from office to pursue elective office.

Mr Tegbe, from Oyo State, is a fiscal and economic reform expert with over 35 years of experience spanning the public and private sectors.

He is a former Senior Partner and Head of Advisory Services at KPMG Africa, where he led wide-ranging initiatives in fiscal policy reform, institutional transformation, and governance.

He has also advised key government institutions and private sector organisations on strategic reforms, regulatory frameworks, and investment structuring.

He is at present the Director General and Global Liaison for the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP), where he is responsible for strengthening bilateral development cooperation between Nigeria and the People’s Republic of China.

The NCSP also coordinates engagements with public sector stakeholders to advance economic and social development in line with FOCAC objectives.

Mr Tegbe’s experience includes significant engagements within the power sector, particularly in regulatory and institutional reform involving agencies such as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET).

His nomination is expected to strengthen further ongoing efforts to reform the power sector, enhance grid stability, and attract sustainable investment in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

The President expects the Minister-Designate, upon confirmation, to bring his extensive expertise to bear to advance critical reforms and deliver improved outcomes for Nigerians in the power sector.

The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) said on Thursday power supply to the Lagos region is currently restricted due to a sudden shutdown of the Egbin Power Station and the forced outage of the Osogbo–Ikeja West 330kV transmission line, thereby limiting the evacuation of available generation into the Lagos load centre.

NISO said that the dual disruptions has created a significant supply gap, forcing authorities to ration electricity to prevent a total system collapse.

NISO explained that at approximately 8:21 p.m. on April 28, 2026, Egbin Power Station recorded a total loss of generation, dropping from about 641MW to zero output.

This incident was caused by the failure of the plant’s central compressor, in addition to a malfunction of the circulating water pump system, which necessitated an immediate shutdown of all generating units to safeguard the facility.

Egbin Power Station, which is the largest electricity-generating plant on the national grid and a major contributor to daily power supply in Nigeria, experienced a major operational disturbance.