Nigeria’s power generation declined sharply to 2,898 megawatts (MW) yesterday, an 11 per cent drop from the 3,222MW recorded earlier, worsening the ongoing electricity crisis and triggering increased load shedding nationwide.
Data from the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) showed that the reduction followed forced shutdowns of several generating units between 06:00 and 08:00 hours due to persistent gas supply constraints affecting thermal power plants.
NISO said total grid generation stood at 3,940.53MW at 05:00 hours but remained below expected capacity because thermal stations require about 1,588.61 million standard cubic feet (MMSCF) of gas daily for optimal output, while only 652.92MMSCF — about 41 per cent of the requirement — was supplied.
The operator explained that the gas shortage led to a cumulative reduction of approximately 292MW within hours, further limiting power available for dispatch and forcing electricity distribution companies to intensify load shedding across business districts.
NISO said it is working with generation companies and gas suppliers to stabilise supply and restore output, as stakeholders continue to monitor developments amid mounting concerns over grid performance.
