Nigeria’s electricity crisis is worsening as gas shortages and declining water levels reduce power generation across the country.
The situation has left households and businesses facing longer blackouts. Many consumers now depend on generators, solar panels and inverters to meet their electricity needs.
The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, acknowledged the complaints over poor electricity supply. However, he said preliminary assessments had not identified any major or systemic failure of the national grid.
In a statement issued on Thursday, November 5, the ministry blamed maintenance and operational challenges across parts of the electricity sector.
The affected areas include Lagos, Abuja, Ogun, Kwara and Oyo states.
NISO identifies gas shortages and low water levels
The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) identified inadequate gas supply and reduced water inflows into hydroelectric reservoirs as major causes of the decline.
According to the operator, gas shortages have limited the output of thermal power stations. Meanwhile, lower water levels have reduced the generation capacity of hydroelectric plants.
NISO said the combined challenges had reduced electricity available to distribution companies.
This has forced electricity distributors to shorten supply hours and increase load shedding across their networks.
The operator’s NIGGRID dashboard recorded total generation of 2,556.06 megawatts at 3pm on Thursday. Fifteen generating companies reported the available output.
Distribution companies received a combined allocation of 2,926MW in the figures reviewed by The Guardian.
Abuja Disco received the highest allocation of 633MW. Ibadan Disco followed with 391MW, while Port Harcourt Disco received 320MW.
Benin Disco received 264MW, Eko Disco 256MW and Enugu Disco 253MW. Ikeja Electric received 249MW.
Kaduna, Kano and Jos DisCos received 167MW, 173MW and 146MW, respectively. Yola Disco received the lowest allocation at 74MW.
Gas supply to power plants falls by 4%
Figures from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) also show declining gas availability.
The authority’s September 2026 sector fact sheet recorded a four per cent drop in daily gas utilisation by power plants.
Average consumption fell to 518 million standard cubic feet per day. This was lower than the August figure.
Domestic natural gas supply also declined by 6.7 per cent. It dropped from approximately 2.21 billion cubic feet daily in August to 2.066 billion cubic feet in September.
Gas-based industries recorded a nine per cent decline in daily consumption. Commercial gas consumption, however, increased by three per cent.
The figures highlight the pressure on gas supplies to Nigeria’s thermal power stations.
Tegbe engages power operators over outages
Tegbe said he had begun discussions with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), NISO and distribution companies.
He said the engagements would address operational problems and speed up ongoing maintenance.
The minister also promised to keep Nigerians informed as efforts to restore electricity progressed.
However, the ministry did not provide a specific date for the return of normal supply.
Tegbe maintained that the current disruptions did not amount to a major national grid failure. He attributed them to several operational and generation constraints.
Pat Utomi criticises reliance on solar and generators
Economist and political commentator Pat Utomi criticised the growing dependence on alternative electricity sources.
He argued that solar energy should complement reliable public electricity rather than replace it.
“Solar power is not a substitute for a reliable electricity supply; Nigerians should not have to spend their hard-earned money installing solar panels, buying inverters and purchasing batteries simply to enjoy a basic service that the government is supposed to provide,” Utomi said.
He added that businesses were struggling with unreliable electricity. He also said industries were operating below capacity as households spent more on fuel.
Ikeja Electric, IBEDC apologise to customers
The power crisis has also affected electricity distribution companies and their supply commitments.
Ikeja Electric apologised to customers on Band A feeders. The company admitted it could not meet the minimum 20-hour daily supply requirement.
It attributed the shortfall to reduced electricity allocations from the national grid. The company said it was engaging relevant stakeholders to improve supply.
Meanwhile, the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) also apologised to customers.
It blamed the disruptions on forced outages and load shedding by TCN. The company also cited planned maintenance, network faults and disconnections over unpaid bills.
The latest developments have renewed concerns about Nigeria’s electricity supply. Gas availability, hydroelectric output and operational challenges continue to affect generation and distribution across the country.
