Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has stated that improved electricity supply is imminent as federal interventions begin to address chronic gas shortages that have crippled power generation. Speaking in his Eid-el-Fitr message, Adelabu said concrete measures are being implemented to stabilise gas supply for thermal plants, which form the backbone of the national grid.
The minister’s optimism comes amid a deepening crisis. Gas suppliers recently halted supplies to power plants over an estimated ₦3.3 trillion debt owed by generation companies, according to the Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC). Its CEO, Dr. Joy Ogaji, warned the financial strain is pushing the sector toward collapse. Data from the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) confirms the severity: national generation has consistently fallen below 4,000 megawatts in recent weeks, with thermal plants—which require about 1,629.75 million standard cubic feet (mmscf) of gas daily—receiving only around 692.00 mmscf per day as of late February, less than 43% of required volumes.
Adelabu affirmed that resolving gas constraints is central to stabilising the sector and that reforms under President Bola Tinubu are beginning to yield results. He urged patience, framing current challenges as transitional steps toward a more reliable system. He also linked recent presidential engagements, including meetings in the United Kingdom, to efforts to attract power sector investment.
For now, consumers across all distribution bands endure prolonged outages, exacerbated by seasonal heat and rising fuel costs. Generation companies have repeatedly cited the gas supply shortfall as beyond their control, while the unresolved debt cascade threatens further deterioration without urgent resolution.
The minister stressed that sustained progress hinges on public support and policy alignment, calling on citizens to uphold discipline and collective responsibility in national development. His message underscores the government’s reliance on both financial interventions and structural reforms to unlock efficiency across the power value chain, with the goal of delivering measurable improvements in electricity access in the near term.
