Vandalism and wire snaps have been identified as major causes of electricity-related fatalities in Nigeria, according to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
In its quarterly report, NERC disclosed that 112 deaths were recorded in 2024, a 2.6% decline from the 115 deaths reported in 2023. However, despite the slight reduction, vandalism remains a significant risk to both utility workers and the public.
Decline in Injuries but Uneven Fatality Trends
The report also revealed that the number of injuries fell to 95 in 2024, marking a 6.9% decrease from 102 injuries in 2023. However, fatalities varied throughout the year, with some quarters experiencing sharp spikes.
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In Q1 2024, 23 fatalities were recorded, a 35.3% increase from 17 deaths in Q1 2023.
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Injuries in Q1 2024 surged by 93.8%, rising from 16 to 31.
Notably, NESCO and Yola Electricity Distribution Companies were the only DisCos that recorded no casualties during this period, while Egbin Power Station was the only GenCo that reported an accident.
DisCos Lead in Electricity-Related Casualties
A total of 54 casualties were recorded in Q1 2024, with the Eko Electricity Distribution Company leading with 13 cases (24.07%).
Other DisCos with high casualties include:
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Benin DisCo – 8 cases (14.81%)
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Jos and Aba DisCos – 6 cases each (11.11%)
Overall, DisCos accounted for 96.30% of all casualties in Q1, continuing the trend from Q4 2023, where they made up 98.48% of cases.
The main causes of fatalities included:
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Wire snaps – 6 deaths, 6 injuries
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Illegal access to electrical installations – 5 deaths, 2 injuries
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Vandalism – 2 deaths, 5 injuries
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Unsafe work conditions – 10 deaths, 12 injuries
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Falls from heights – 2 injuries
Second Quarter Sees Highest Death Toll
The highest number of deaths occurred in Q2 2024, with fatalities rising by 21.4%, from 28 in Q2 2023 to 34 in Q2 2024.
Despite the rise in deaths, injuries dropped by 39.3%, from 28 in Q2 2023 to 17 in Q2 2024, indicating that incidents were more severe but less frequent.
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Ibadan DisCo recorded the highest casualties, with 13 out of 51 cases (25.49%).
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Eko DisCo followed with 8 cases (15.69%).
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Jos and Enugu DisCos recorded 7 (13.73%) and 6 (11.76%) cases, respectively.
NERC reported that no casualties were recorded among GenCos in Q2, and NESCO and Yola DisCos continued their zero-casualty record from Q1.
DisCos accounted for 100% of casualties in Q2 2024, continuing the trend from Q1 (96.30%) and Q4 2023 (98.48%).
The leading cause of fatalities in Q2 was illegal access to electrical installations, resulting in 11 deaths and one injury
