The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) on Thursday attributed a 292 megawatt drop in electricity generation on the national grid to insufficient gas supply to thermal power plants.
Checks by Vanguard showed that generation from 15 power plants stood at 3,118.9MW as of 4 p.m., while electricity distribution companies (DisCos) were allocated 2,749MW.
In a statement NISO explained that the decline in generation was largely caused by persistent gas supply constraints affecting several plants. “As of 05:00 hours on Thursday March 5 2026 total generation on the national grid stood at 3,940.53MW already below expected capacity due to gas supply limitations affecting a number of plants,” the operator said.
The statement added that between 06:00 and 08:00 hours several generating units were forced to shut down due to inadequate gas supply resulting in a cumulative reduction of about 292MW in available generation during the period.
According to NISO thermal plants require roughly 1,588.61 million standard cubic feet (MMSCF) of gas per day to operate at optimal capacity but actual supply was about 652.92 MMSCF or approximately 40 percent of the required volume.
The shortfall has further reduced generation available for dispatch across the national grid contributing to ongoing power supply challenges nationwide.
The operator said it is working closely with affected Generation Companies (GenCos) and gas suppliers to monitor the situation and restore generation as gas supply ilizes. Authorities urged electricity consumers to expect possible fluctuations in supply until the constraints are fully resolved.
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