Darkness Persists 2 Weeks After Adelabu Promised Stable Electricity Supply, Reasons Emerge
- Power supply and generation in Nigeria remain low despite government assurances
- GenCos and DisCos are in disagreement over load rejection and responsibility
- Transmission and distribution limitations continue to constrain available power
Oluwatobi Odeyinka is a business editor at Legit.ng, covering energy, the money market, technology and macroeconomic trends in Nigeria.
Electricity generation in Nigeria has remained below expected levels, weeks after the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, assured Nigerians that outages would ease within two weeks.
Despite slight improvements, power supply has continued to fluctuate between 3,000 and 4,000 megawatts, leaving many households and businesses without stable electricity and raising concerns about the feasibility of the minister’s timeline.
According to checks by PUNCH, while some areas have reported marginal gains, many parts of the country are still experiencing outages, with residents waiting for supply to improve.
Source: Twitter
Gas shortages, unmet assurances
Nigeria has faced widespread blackouts in recent weeks, largely attributed to gas shortages affecting thermal power plants. Power distribution companies had issued repeated apologies, promising improvements that are yet to be fully realised.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC), Joy Ogaji, said gas suppliers had informed generation companies that supply would be halted unless outstanding payments were settled.
Speaking earlier at a press briefing in Abuja, Adelabu apologised for the situation, describing it as temporary and partly beyond the government’s control. He noted that businesses, schools, and industries had been affected by the outages, especially during the dry season.
The minister, however, assured Nigerians that improvements would be seen within two weeks, citing commitments from gas suppliers and ongoing pipeline repairs.
Supply still below 2025 levels
As the timeline elapsed, the power supply has yet to return to levels recorded in 2025, when generation exceeded 5,000 megawatts.
As of Wednesday, electricity distribution companies (DisCos) were distributing about 3,500 megawatts, an improvement from earlier lows of around 2,900MW. However, many consumers report not experiencing significant relief.
DisCos, GenCos disagree over load rejection
Tensions have also emerged between generation companies (GenCos) and DisCos over responsibility for the shortfall.
GenCos have accused DisCos of rejecting available electricity, leading to financial losses. However, DisCos maintain that they only take power that can be effectively distributed and paid for.
Ogaji confirmed that there were instances where the system operator directed GenCos to reduce output due to low demand from DisCos.
She added that while gas shortages contributed to reduced generation, load rejection by DisCos also played a role in the ongoing outages.
Capacity gaps across the power chain
According to Ogaji, Nigeria has about 30 grid-connected power plants with an installed capacity of 15,500 megawatts. However, due to debts owed to GenCos, only about 7,000MW can be made available.
Out of this, transmission and distribution infrastructure can handle only about 4,000MW to 4,500MW, resulting in stranded power and financial losses.
She also questioned claims about higher capacity by the Transmission Company of Nigeria and DisCos, urging them to substantiate figures released publicly.
DisCos cite transmission challenges
Distribution operators, speaking anonymously, argued that inefficiencies in the transmission network are responsible for load rejection.
They explained that power is sometimes transmitted to locations where it cannot be effectively distributed, making it difficult for DisCos to accept the load.
Source: Twitter
TCN defends capacity claims
The Transmission Company of Nigeria, however, maintained that it has expanded its wheeling capacity to 8,700MW through infrastructure upgrades.
The agency also disputed claims by the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, which had cited lower transmission capacity figures, describing them as outdated.
According to TCN, actual power delivery depends on what GenCos can generate, what DisCos nominate, and what the grid can transmit, with penalties for non-compliance.
8 GenCos sign Tinubu’s N3.3trn settlement deal
Legit.ng earlier reported that eight major electricity generation companies in Nigeria have signed onto President Bola Tinubu’s N3.3 trillion debt settlement programme aimed at addressing liquidity challenges in the power sector.
The agreement, which covers 15 generation plants operated by six private firms and two public entities, is designed to clear longstanding financial obligations that have hindered investment and operational efficiency across the electricity value chain.
Experts say transparency is crucial to ensuring the reform's success and attracting investment.
Source: Legit.ng
