The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has recorded 36 accidents in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) in the second quarter of 2026, resulting in 20 deaths and 23 injuries.
The Commission, its Quarter two report, said it has launched investigations into all the accidents and will continue to work with sector stakeholders to improve health and safety in the industry.
Compared with the first quarter of 2026, the number of accidents rose from 24 to 36, fatalities increased from 17 to 20, and injuries went up from 13 to 23.
Most of the accidents occurred at the distribution level, while only one safety accident was recorded at the generation level.
All distribution companies except Yola recorded casualties. Of the 43 casualties recorded during the quarter, the highest numbers came from Eko (8), Ikeja (8), Kano (6) and Ibadan (5), representing 18.60 percent, 18.60 percent, 13.95 percent and 11.63 percent of the total respectively.
The distribution sub-segment continued to be the biggest driver of safety accidents in the sector, accounting for 95.34 percent of all casualties recorded in the quarter.
The Commission also noted that the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) recorded two cases, while the Transmission Service Provider (TSP) recorded six cases of damage to property and infrastructure. These resulted from wire snaps, arc flashes, explosions and fire outbreaks.
On reporting compliance, NERC said it received 99 of the 102 mandatory health and safety reports expected from licensees during the quarter. It will continue to enforce full reporting compliance as required by the terms of their licences and apply sanctions where necessary.
The Commission said it is closely monitoring the implementation of licensees’ accident reduction strategies.
It also runs programmes such as the biannual Health and Safety Managers’ Meeting with licensees’ safety officers.
These meetings discuss reporting obligations and health and safety matters, with licensees’ compliance scorecards reviewed to highlight areas for improvement.
NERC also oversees settlement processes between licensees and the families of accident victims to ensure transparency and help families secure fair compensation.
In the second quarter of 2026, it oversaw the settlement process for the family of one accident victim.
