DiscoWatchNG

Keeping the Lights On

A Guide to Using DiscoWatchNG

Hey everyone! If you live in Nigeria, you know that one of the most common questions we ask ourselves daily is, "Do we have light today?" Or more specifically, "How much power is actually allocated to my Disco right now?"

Trying to find this information usually means scrolling through endless tweets or waiting for your Disco to post a schedule. But what if you could see the data instantly, in one place?

I recently came across a fantastic tool called DiscoWatchNG, and it does exactly that. It is a clean, light-themed dashboard that shows you the power allocation to all the Electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) in Nigeria.

If you want to stop guessing and start knowing, here is a friendly guide on how to use the website.

First Stop: The Dashboard

DiscoWatchNG – morning snapshot, light theme

Head over to DiscoWatchNG. When the page loads, you are greeted by a clean, easy-on-the-eyes dashboard. It looks technical, but don't worry, it’s very user-friendly.

The main hero of the page is a big Bar Chart. This chart is the heart of the operation.

Step 1: Understanding the Big Picture (The Chart)

The bar chart displays all 11 Discos across Nigeria. You’ll recognize the usual suspects:

• Ikeja Electric
• Eko Electric
• Abuja Electric (AEDC)
• Kano Electric
• Port Harcourt Electric
• ...and all the others.

Each bar represents a Disco. The height of the bar and the number at the top represent the Allocated Power (measured in Megawatts).

How to read it:

• The higher the bar, the more power that region is getting right now.
• If you see a bar that is very short, that region is currently getting a low allocation from the national grid.

Step 2: Check Your Specific Disco (The Table)

While the chart is great for visuals, we all care about our specific location. Scroll down just a little bit, and you’ll find a Data Table.

This table lays out all the information in simple text format. It usually includes:

• Name of Disco: So you can find your zone.
• Allocation (MW): The exact amount of power allocated to them.

💡 Pro Tip: If you are on a mobile phone, you might need to swipe left or right on the table to see all the columns, but the main "Allocation" figure is usually right there next to the Disco name.

Step 3: The "Snapshot" Approach (Morning & Evening Logs)

It is important to understand how this data is collected. We manually log the grid status twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening.

This gives us a 12-hour snapshot of the grid. While a lot can happen regarding power availability within that time frame, these two checkpoints provide a consistent and reliable trend line to see how your Disco is performing.

Step 4: Reading Between the Lines (The 0MW Context)

When using the site, you might occasionally see a Disco showing 0MW allocation. It is important to understand what this means (and doesn't mean).

Officially, entities like the NISO (National Independent System Operator) may not immediately recognize 0MW assignments to Discos as a "grid failure." In the electricity ecosystem, a few hours of 0MW could be attributed to many things: scheduled maintenance, frequency management, or a temporary load restriction.

However, this is where DiscoWatchNG becomes a useful tool for the public. Prolonged 0MW or persistently low MW values are often the earliest signals to the public that something is wrong. They unofficially signal that the grid is under stress or has potentially collapsed.

📌 Please Note: We can only show you the data and deduce these trends. We always advise you to verify by checking with official authorities upstream, midstream, and downstream on the grid for their official announcements and explanations.

Step 5: Download the Data (For Reference)

One‑click download — perfect for researchers & record keepers

Are you a researcher, a journalist, or just someone who likes to keep records? You don't have to take screenshots.

The website includes a handy feature to download the table. You can export the data for the day, which is perfect if you need references for reports, complaints, or just to track the performance of your Disco over time.

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🔌 Beyond distribution: meet GencoWatchNG

Now that you know how much power is allocated to your Disco, the next question is: where does that power come from? Generation is the first step of the value chain, and it's just as important to monitor.

That’s why we built GencoWatchNG — the sister tool that lives at the same base URL. It gives you a live look at Nigeria’s generating companies (Gencos). You’ll see:

• Which plants are actually sending power to the grid
• Their current output in megawatts
• Underperforming stations vs. those carrying the load

If DiscoWatchNG tells you how much your region gets, GencoWatchNG tells you why — by showing what the Gencos are doing (or not doing). Together they give a complete picture: from generation to distribution.

⚡ Visit DiscoWatchNG 🏭 Check GencoWatchNG

Both tools use the same clean, light‑theme design — no sign‑ups, no distractions.

The Verdict

DiscoWatchNG isn't an app you need to download, and it doesn't ask for your email or any personal data. It’s just a straightforward, public service-style website.

It turns a complex grid system into a simple bar chart that anyone can understand. So, bookmark the page or keep the link handy. The next time the lights go out, you can check if it's just your neighborhood, or if your entire Disco is facing a low allocation day.

And while you're at it, keep an eye on GencoWatchNG to see which power stations are pulling their weight. A transparent grid starts with informed citizens.

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⚡ DiscoWatchNG 🏭 GencoWatchNG

⏲️ morning & evening snapshots • data for awareness • always verify with official sources