No light to watch World Cup, fans mock national grid collapse

Nigerian football fans have taken to social media to mock the country’s persistent electricity crisis, joking that even if the Super Eagles qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, many Nigerians may have no power supply to watch the matches.

 

The reactions, mostly posted on X, come amid a worsening power situation in the country, with electricity generation recently dropping below the 4,000-megawatt mark.

 

Data from the Nigerian Independent System Operator showed that power generation stood at 3,940.53 megawatts on one Thursday morning, largely due to gas supply shortages affecting thermal power plants.

 

The national grid has also suffered multiple collapses this year. At least three incidents were recorded in January alone, bringing the total number of collapses in 2026 to four.

 

In response to the outages, Ikeja Electric issued a public apology to customers, attributing the blackouts to gas supply constraints affecting power generation.

 

The distribution company said relevant stakeholders were working to address the shortfall.

 

The electricity crisis has coincided with uncertainty surrounding Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.

 

Nigeria’s hopes remain unclear after the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) filed a protest alleging that DR Congo fielded ineligible players, including former England youth internationals Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Axel Tuanzebe, during the CAF play-off final in November 2025.

 

The Leopards won the match on penalties after a 1–1 draw.

 

FIFA has confirmed it is reviewing the protest but has yet to announce a timeline for its decision, while the NFF maintains that no ruling has been communicated to either federation.

 

The uncertainty over the team’s World Cup fate, combined with the country’s power challenges, has provided fodder for Nigerians online, many of whom have responded with humour and sarcasm.