The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has countered claims by the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO), and the Federal Ministry of Power that operational constraints on gas transportation network is responsible for the recent decline in electricity generation.
But the Minister of Power, Mr. Joseph Tegbe, promised that electricity supply to Abuja, Lagos, Kwara and Oyo states, which are currently experiencing outages, would improve within the next 24 hours.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has also rejected claims by Ikeja Electric (IKEDC) attributing several Band A feeder outages to “grid instability” and assigning responsibility to the transmission company.
NNPCL’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, announced in a statement that the gas network operated by NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company Limited (NGIC), a subsidiary of the NNPC, remains available to support gas deliveries to power-generating stations nationwide.
“NGIC’s operational records do not indicate transportation-related constraints within its network that explain the current decline in electricity generation,” Odeh said.
NNPC’s clarification followed a November 5 statement by the NISO, which attributed the lower power generation partly to limited gas availability and reduced water inflows into hydroelectric stations.
Specifically, the system operator said the limited availability of “gas has constrained the capacity of affected thermal generating stations to operate at their available levels, while reduced water inflows into reservoirs have impacted the generation capacity of hydroelectric power stations.”
Tegbe also attributed the electricity supply shortfall to planned maintenance at the Egbin Power Station in Lagos and constraints in gas supply to some thermal power stations, which had reduced the amount of electricity available on the national grid.
“Grid operators have, therefore, implemented load shedding in some areas to manage the shortfall. Sabotage of key transmission lines has also restricted the use of alternative routes to supply some locations, especially Lagos,” the minister explained.
But the NNPC said the availability of its gas transportation infrastructure should be assessed separately from gas production, commercial supply arrangements, and actual deliveries to individual power plants.
The company said gas production volumes has grown by about 10 percent year-to-date in 2026, citing efforts to implement the Federal government’s gas development and monetisation agenda.
“Gas supply availability is therefore not a challenge as NNPC remains committed to supporting efforts to improve electricity generation through safe, reliable and efficient gas supply and transportation,” it said.
The company said determining the cause of the power shortfall requires a broader assessment of the gas-to-power value chain.
According to the oil firm, the review should cover the availability and operational readiness of generating units, plant maintenance schedules, and actual gas off-take, noting that these factors determine whether gas supplied to power plants can be converted into electricity.
“Gas production, commercial supply arrangements and actual deliveries to individual power plants must be assessed separately from the availability of transportation infrastructure,” the NNPC said.
The company called for a coordinated review of operational data by gas suppliers, transporters, power generators, and NISO to identify specific constraints and determine appropriate interventions.
In an update on the power situation, Tegbe said he is aware of the strain the outages had placed on households and businesses in the four affected areas.
Tegbe said his team is working to return the affected generating units to service in phases, with the first units expected to come back online within 48 to 72 hours, counting down from Saturday.