FACT-CHECK: Did Nigeria win ‘Guinness World Record Achievement’ for ‘longest streak of national blackouts’?

Claim: Nigeria has been recognised by the Guinness World of Record for its recurring national blackout.

Verdict: Misleading.

Full Text:

Following another national grid collapse on November 5, social media uproar surged. Riding on the national blackout, an X user claimed that Nigeria “won the longest streak of national blackouts” and has been recognised by the Guinness World Record.

The claim featured a certificate-like graphic — different from the one GWR issues to record-breakers around the world.

The claim is gaining engagement online, with over 3k views as at press time.

Verification:

Ripples Nigeria reported that the national electricity grid collapsed for the 8th time in 2024 — with a hat-trick record within a week in August.

It was noted that the latest grid failure, leading to drop in nationwide electricity supply, comes after multiple collapses in October. To save its face, the Federal Government had promised on several occasions that it would find a permanent solution to the issue as citizens hauled criticisms and businesses suffered impacts of the recurring power outages.

What is the Guinness World Record?

The Guinness World Record (GWR) is a record-keeper for record-breaking achievements around the world. Based in London with branches in different parts of the world like Beijing and Tokyo, the fact-finder outlet has ambassadors and adjucators in different parts of the world.

In recent time, some frenzied Nigerians had embarked on various adventures to have their names in the world renowned Record Book, earning them a certificate for their feats.

Nigeria recorded for longest streak of national blackouts as claimed?

Ripples Nigeria reports that the website of the GWR is timely updated after the verification of a feat. As at press time, however, there is no credible source that the Record is considering, nor has it recognised Nigeria for the record achievement of longest streak of national blackouts as social media users claimed.

A typical GWR certificate
Source: GWR website

Checks on its website revealed that “longest blackout in peace-time” was recorded “on 19 February 1998, [when] the four main power cables supplying the city centre of Auckland, New Zealand, broke down. The disruption, which lasted for 66 days, affected 7,500 business and residential customers and cost businesses an estimated NZ$300million (US$ 156 million or £105 million).”

Further checks using keywords on the website reveals no information about its consideration of Nigeria for the said record which social media users said has already been certified by Guinness World Record.

In addition, a January-2024 report by International Energy Agency ranked Nigeria among countries suffering blackouts, in the list is also Pakistan and Kenya, in 2023.

The IEA report noted that the blackouts are due to insufficient power capacity, fuel supply challenges, grid-related technical issues, and extreme weather events during the period

It listed other countries to include; Egypt, Brazil, Canada, the US, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, India, Madagascar, Bangladesh and Yemen.

However, Ripples Nigeria reached out to the company for further verification.

“We don’t monitor a record title for the Longest streak of national blackouts”, GWR Public Relations Executive, Alina Polianskaya said in an email.

Conclusion:

The claim that Nigeria has been certified by the Guinness World Record for the longest streak of blackouts is false.

By Quadri Yahya

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