Nigerians face power cuts as gas maintenance shuts 935MW generation

Nigerians would have to endure power cuts this week as maintenance on critical gas infrastructure forces a shutdown of nearly 1,000 megawatts of generation capacity, tightening supply in Africa’s largest economy.

The Nigerian Independent System Operator has warned that power generation will fall by 934.96MW between February 12 and 15, representing a 19.67 per cent reduction from the current available capacity of 4,753.10MW.

The shortfall stems from routine maintenance by Seplat Energy, a joint venture partner and major gas supplier to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company’s pipeline network. The work, scheduled over four days, underscores the fragility of Nigeria’s power sector, which has struggled for decades to meet demand in an economy of more than 200 million people.

“This situation arises from a formal notification received on the scheduled maintenance shutdown of a major gas supply facility,” NISO said in a statement on Thursday, adding that full gas supply would resume on February 16.

The maintenance will directly impact some of Nigeria’s largest thermal power stations, including the 1,320MW Egbin plant, the country’s biggest, as well as Azura, Sapele and Transcorp facilities. Three additional plants, NDPHC Sapele, Olorunsogo and Omotosho, may face “indirect constraints due to network-wide gas balancing effects,” NISO said.

Nigeria’s electricity sector has long been plagued by insufficient generation capacity, ageing infrastructure and chronic gas supply disruptions. The national grid, which frequently experiences total or partial collapses, rarely generates more than half of its installed capacity of roughly 13,000MW, forcing businesses and households to rely heavily on diesel and petrol generators.

Gas supply constraints are a recurring problem. Nigeria holds Africa’s largest natural gas reserves, but much of the output is exported or flared rather than directed to domestic power generation. Analysts say gas pipeline vandalism, operational inefficiencies and the financial struggles of power generation companies further compound the challenge.

NNPC confirmed on Thursday that Seplat’s maintenance is part of “standard safety and asset integrity protocols” and said the exercise was necessary to ensure the continued reliability and safe operation of critical infrastructure while reducing the risk of unplanned outages.

The state oil company said it was working with Seplat to complete the work on schedule and had tasked its gas marketing arm with engaging alternative suppliers to cushion the anticipated shortfall. “NNPC Gas Marketing Limited is engaging alternative gas suppliers to maintain stability across the network,” it said.

Still, the temporary reduction highlights the sector’s vulnerability to even planned disruptions. Power generation companies, many of which are already financially distressed due to unpaid debts and tariff shortfalls, will face additional strain during the maintenance window.

The planned outage comes at a sensitive time for Nigeria’s power sector. President Bola Tinubu’s administration has pledged to overhaul the industry through reforms, including the removal of electricity subsidies and the decentralisation of grid management. However, progress has been slow and public frustration with blackouts remains high.

Industry observers say the reliance on gas-fired generation, which accounts for more than 70 per cent of Nigeria’s electricity supply, leaves the grid exposed to upstream disruptions. Calls for greater investment in renewable energy and diversification of the generation mix have intensified, though financing and regulatory hurdles persist.