Nigerian football fans have turned to dark humour on the social media platform X to highlight the country’s persistent electricity challenges, joking that even if the Nigeria national football team qualifies for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, many Nigerians may not have electricity to watch the matches.
The reactions come as Nigeria faces ongoing problems with electricity generation. Power output recently dropped below the 4,000-megawatt mark due to continued gas supply shortages affecting thermal power plants. Data from the Nigerian Independent System Operator showed generation at about 3,940.53 megawatts on a recent Thursday morning.
The national grid has also experienced several collapses this year, including at least three in January alone. One of the country’s electricity distribution companies, Ikeja Electric, apologised to customers for the outages, attributing the blackouts to gas supply constraints that have reduced generation capacity. The company added that stakeholders are working to resolve the shortfall.
The power crisis has added to the anxiety among supporters of the Super Eagles, whose hopes of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup remain uncertain. The tournament is scheduled to be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Nigeria’s qualification situation is still unresolved after the Nigeria Football Federation filed a protest following a CAF play-off final defeat to the DR Congo national football team in November 2025. The match ended 1–1 before DR Congo won on penalties.
The federation alleged that DR Congo fielded ineligible players, including former England youth internationals Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Axel Tuanzebe. FIFA has confirmed it is reviewing the complaint but has not provided a timeline for its decision.
Amid the uncertainty, some fans have joked online that Nigerians might end up following the World Cup on social media because there may be no electricity to power their televisions.
Others imagined scenarios in which matches could be delayed by power outages, with one user joking that a game could start in the evening and only end when electricity is restored. Another commenter referenced the long-standing belief that electricity sometimes returns in certain neighbourhoods during major matches involving the national team.
The combination of Nigeria’s uncertain World Cup prospects and its ongoing electricity problems has fuelled widespread commentary online, with many fans using humour to express frustration over the country’s power situation.
