FG Blames Gas Shortage, Low Water Levels for Power Outages in Five States

The Federal Government of Nigeria has attributed recent power outages in five states to inadequate gas supplies and reduced water levels at hydroelectric facilities. The affected states include Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Kwara, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). According to the Federal Ministry of Power, the outages are a result of operational challenges affecting electricity generation and distribution, rather than a collapse of the national grid.

The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Ministry of Power, Adeola Adelabu, stated that the government is working with relevant agencies, including the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and electricity distribution companies (DisCos), to address the challenges and improve electricity supply. The government aims to resolve the issues and restore stable power supply to the affected areas.

The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) identified insufficient gas supplies to thermal power stations and reduced water inflows into major hydroelectric reservoirs as key factors behind the decline in electricity generation. On November 5, 2026, the country's 11 electricity distribution companies received a combined allocation of 2,926 megawatts, with Abuja DisCo receiving the largest share of 633MW.

The allocation of power to various distribution companies varied, with Ibadan DisCo receiving 391MW, while Eko and Ikeja DisCos received 256MW and 249MW respectively. The government is working to address the challenges facing the power sector, including equipment shortages and infrastructure maintenance.

In a move to strengthen the country's power network, the Federal Government has begun efforts to recover abandoned electricity infrastructure materials. Following President Bola Tinubu's directive, the Ministry of Power facilitated the clearance of 44 containers of electricity equipment from Apapa ports in Lagos, some of which had been there since 2014.

The recovered materials will be inspected before being deployed to ongoing electricity infrastructure projects. The government hopes that this intervention will help address equipment shortages and improve the stability of electricity supply across the country. The Ministry of Power, under the leadership of Minister Joseph Tegbe, is working to resolve the challenges facing the power sector.

The government's efforts to address the power outages and improve electricity supply are ongoing. The Ministry of Power is working closely with relevant agencies and stakeholders to resolve the issues and restore stable power supply to the affected areas. The recovery of abandoned infrastructure materials is expected to boost the country's power network and improve electricity supply.

Key points

• Insufficient gas supplies and reduced water levels are key factors behind the decline in electricity generation.
• The government is working to address equipment shortages and improve the stability of electricity supply.
• The recovery of abandoned infrastructure materials is expected to boost the country's power network.