Nigeria’s electricity and power sector’s crisis has continued as the power generation plunged 11%, from Monday’s 3,222MW to just 2,898MW yesterday, the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) has reported.
Data from the power sector group stated that this shortfall had compelled the electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) to further shed their supply load nationwide.
The NISO, in a Notice to power sector stakeholders, linked the power generation shortfall to persistent gas supply constraints that are currently crippling several thermal power plants.
The Notice partly reads: “As at 05:00 hours of today, Thursday, 5th March 2026, total generation on the national grid stood at 3,940.53 MW, which was already below the expected capacity due to existing gas supply limitations impacting a number of generating stations.
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“Between 06:00 hours and 08:00 hours, several generating units were forced to shut down as a result of inadequate gas supply to the plants.
“This resulted in a cumulative reduction of approximately 292 MW in available generation on the grid during the period”, the group added.
The operational data as of 04 March 2026 provided by the NISO showed that thermal power plants required approximately 1,588.61 million standard cubic feet (MMSCF) of gas per day to operate at optimal capacity but that actual gas supply to the stations was approximately 652.92MMSCF, representing about 41% of the gas required for optimal generation.
The group also clarified that the gas supply shortfall further reduced the total generation available for dispatch to the national grid and contributed to the current generation inadequacy being experienced nationwide.
The NISO assured power sector stakeholders that it was “actively working with the affected Generation Companies (GenCos) 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.”
