NNPC Announces Planned Gas Facility Maintenance, Warns of Temporary Electricity Impact
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has announced a scheduled four-day shutdown of gas production facilities by its joint venture partner, Seplat Energy Plc, for routine maintenance. The shutdown, set for February 12 to 15, 2026, will temporarily reduce gas supply to power plants and is expected to cause a modest decline in national electricity output during that period.
In an official statement, NNPC Ltd confirmed that Seplat Energy, a key supplier to the NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC) pipeline network, will conduct mandatory industry-standard maintenance on its production facilities. The company described the activity as essential for ensuring the long-term reliability, efficiency, and safe operation of critical gas infrastructure.
The maintenance will directly affect gas volumes transported through the NGIC pipeline, which supplies feedstock to multiple thermal power generation companies and industrial customers across Nigeria. As a result, power plants reliant on this gas may experience reduced supply, leading to a predictable, short-term dip in electricity generation.
NNPC Ltd stated it is coordinating with Seplat Energy to ensure the maintenance is executed safely and completed on schedule. To cushion the impact, NNPC Gas Marketing Limited is actively engaging alternative gas suppliers to mitigate supply gaps and maintain network stability. The company reassured that the situation is temporary and that full gas supply is expected to resume promptly after the maintenance window.
Nigeria’s power sector is highly dependent on gas-fired plants, which constitute over 70 per cent of the country’s installed generation capacity. Disruptions to gas supply, whether from maintenance, vandalism, or payment issues, frequently translate into generation shortfalls and load management by the system operator. This planned shutdown underscores the sector’s vulnerability to upstream operational interruptions.
The notice arrives as the federal government advances its “Decade of Gas” initiative to increase gas utilisation and as ongoing reforms aim to stabilise the electricity market. Stakeholders highlight that building greater redundancy through storage solutions and diversified supply sources is critical to insulating the grid from periodic constraints.
While the immediate impact is anticipated to be moderate and manageable, the event highlights the intricate link between upstream gas operations and national power supply stability. NNPC has pledged to provide further updates as the maintenance date approaches.
