After FG’s Alert, NNPC Raises Alarm of Another Power Cuts as Seplat Gas Plant Shuts Down
- Seplat Energy has shut its gas production facilities for routine maintenance, affecting Nigeria's electricity supply
- NNPC reassures stakeholders of support during four-day shutdown to mitigate power disruptions
- Ongoing need for investment in gas infrastructure highlighted amid reform efforts and electricity market challenges
Pascal Oparada is a journalist with Legit.ng, covering technology, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
Barely days after a federal warning over looming power constraints, fresh anxiety is spreading across Nigeria’s electricity market. NNPC Limited has announced that its joint venture partner, Seplat Energy, will shut down its gas production facilities for four days to carry out routine maintenance.
The development is expected to temporarily reduce gas supply to several power generation companies, potentially leading to lower electricity output nationwide.
Source: Getty Images
In a statement issued by NNPC’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, the maintenance exercise will run from February 12 to February 15, 2026.
The notice, titled “Scheduled Maintenance on Major Gas Plant and Facilities,” described the shutdown as mandatory and in line with global industry standards.
Why the shutdown matters
Seplat is a key supplier of gas to the NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company pipeline network, which feeds multiple thermal power plants and industrial users across the country.
NNPC explained that the maintenance forms part of routine safety and asset integrity protocols designed to ensure reliable and efficient operations.
According to the company, periodic technical checks are necessary to strengthen operational resilience and prevent unexpected breakdowns that could trigger more severe outages.
However, while the shutdown is planned and temporary, its impact could still be felt. During the four-day window, there will be a reduction in gas supply into the pipeline network, which serves several power generation companies.
Those plants dependent on the supply may face reduced gas availability, with possible ripple effects on electricity generation levels.
Nigeria’s heavy dependence on gas
Nigeria’s power grid relies overwhelmingly on gas-fired plants, which account for more than 70% of installed generation capacity.
Most of these plants source their feedstock through pipelines linking upstream gas producers in the Niger Delta to power hubs in the South-West and other regions.
With average grid generation typically fluctuating between 4,000 and 5,000 megawatts, even modest supply disruptions can strain an already fragile system. In the past, gas supply interruptions caused by vandalism, technical faults, or financial constraints have resulted in load shedding and blackouts across major cities.
The latest notice highlights once again how tightly connected upstream gas operations are to the stability of Nigeria’s electricity supply.
NNPC moves to cushion the impact
Despite the concerns, NNPC has sought to calm nerves. The company said it is working closely with Seplat to ensure the maintenance is completed safely and on schedule.
In addition, NNPC Gas Marketing Limited is reportedly engaging alternative gas suppliers to reduce the anticipated supply gap and maintain network stability during the shutdown period.
The national oil firm assured stakeholders that full gas supply into the pipeline system will resume promptly once the maintenance exercise is completed, enabling affected power plants to return to normal operations.
A broader energy challenge
The timing of the maintenance comes amid ongoing electricity market reforms and renewed efforts by the Federal Government to deepen gas utilisation under its “Decade of Gas” initiative.
Industry observers say the situation underscores the urgent need for investment in redundancy, gas storage infrastructure, and diversified energy sources such as renewables.
Source: Twitter
Without these buffers, the grid remains vulnerable to even short-term disruptions in gas production.
For millions of Nigerians already grappling with erratic power supply, the coming days may once again test the resilience of the national grid.
FG announces plan to cut electricity subsidy
Legit.ng earlier reported that Power Generation Companies (GenCos) have criticised the federal government’s announcement that it would stop bearing electricity subsidy costs alone from 2026 and instead share the burden among federal, state, and local governments
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Power Generation Companies, Joy Ogaji, said claims of government subsidy are not backed by budgetary allocations or official documentation.
As reported by PUNCH, she argued that there is no verifiable evidence of an existing electricity subsidy, stressing that generation companies have been absorbing revenue shortfalls for more than a decade.
Source: Legit.ng
