Electricity generation on Nigeria’s national grid fell early Thursday following persistent gas supply shortages affecting several thermal power plants, the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) has said.
In a statement issued on March 5, 2026, NISO said total generation on the national grid stood at 3,940.53 megawatts (MW) as of 05:00 hours, already below expected capacity due to ongoing gas supply limitations impacting a number of generating stations.
The situation worsened a few hours later when several generating units were forced offline.
According to the system operator, between 06:00 hours and 08:00 hours, multiple plants shut down due to insufficient gas supply, leading to a cumulative reduction of about 292MW in available generation on the grid during the period.
NISO explained that operational data from March 4, 2026, showed that thermal power plants across the country require approximately 1,588.61 million standard cubic feet (MMSCF) of gas per day to run at optimal capacity.
However, the actual gas supplied to the plants was about 652.92 MMSCF, representing only around 40 percent of the volume required for efficient power generation.
The shortfall, the operator noted, has further reduced the electricity available for dispatch to the national grid and contributed to the generation inadequacy currently being experienced across the power system.
“NISO is actively working with the affected Generation Companies and relevant gas suppliers to closely monitor the situation and facilitate the restoration of generation as soon as gas supply to the affected plants stabilizes,” the statement said.
The operator added that it continues to implement operational measures aimed at maintaining grid stability while managing the impact of the reduced generation capacity.
NISO reaffirmed its commitment to keeping stakeholders and the public informed about developments affecting the national grid.
