Ghana hit by nationwide blackout as power plants fail

What the report says

BBC Africa reports that Ghana has been hit by a major electricity outage after a fault on the national grid caused widespread power cuts early on Wednesday. The disruption affected Accra, Kumasi and large parts of the north, with homes, businesses and some essential services left without power.

According to the report, Ghana Grid Company Limited, the state-run transmission operator, said several power plants were forced offline and that engineers and system operators were working to restore supply as quickly as possible while maintaining safety. GRIDCo said it was carrying out a technical investigation into the cause of the failure, but did not indicate when normal electricity service would return.

The blackout created practical problems across multiple regions. BBC Africa reported that some commuters struggled to get to work because uncharged phones made it difficult to pay for transport or order app-based taxis. Small businesses and people dependent on digital services were also affected, while larger institutions such as hospitals typically rely on backup generators.

The outage is significant because Ghana has a long history of electricity shortages, locally known as “dumsor”, though supply had improved in recent years. As background, BBC Africa notes that Ghana, a major gold and cocoa producer, has expanded gas-fired generation to meet rising demand from population growth and urbanisation. However, much of the country’s power still comes from ageing hydropower facilities, and the electricity system remains exposed to transmission problems and fuel supply disruptions.