The Federal Government on Tuesday said some of the factors responsible for power failures in the country are beyond its control.
The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, spoke in Abuja where he also acknowledged the deepening structural pressures in Nigeria’s power sector, which he tied to a sharp drop in gas supply to generation companies.
This constraint continues to choke output nationwide, he said, adding that power generation companies are currently owed over N4 trillion, with about 60 per cent of the outstanding debts owed to gas suppliers.
Expressing optimism over improved supply, he noted that ongoing repairs on critical gas pipelines are nearing completion and are expected to improve generation levels within two weeks.
He said: “The main issue we have today is gas supply shortage to the power plants. As I mentioned earlier, 75 per cent of our power plants rely on gas, while 25 per cent depend on hydro. Without gas supply, there is little the generating companies can do.
“There are turbines lying idle due to lack of feedstock. Just like a factory cannot operate without raw materials, power plants cannot function without gas.”
He also linked Nigeria’s domestic challenges to international energy dynamics, pointing to geopolitical tensions as an added layer of strain on gas availability.
The Middle East crisis, he said, has led to global gas shortages, stressing that there is increasing pressure on gas exports from Nigeria, though gas is produced locally.
He said: “We want to officially apologise to Nigerians for the temporary hardship being experienced, especially during this dry season when demand is high and businesses, schools and industries are affected.
“It is not our wish to be in this situation. Some of these factors are beyond our control, but we are working round the clock to restore supply and return to the positive trajectory recorded in 2025.”
He revealed that the Federal Government also projected the scale of investment required to stabilise the sector, estimating that about $100 billion would be needed to deliver an additional 20,000 megawatts capable of ensuring uninterrupted electricity across the country
On the Ministry’s achievements since his appointment in 2023, Adelabu noted that installed generation capacity has increased from 13,000MW to 14,500MW.
He said:“On March 2, 2025, Nigeria recorded a historic peak generation of 6,003MW, the highest ever. Two days later, the national grid achieved a peak evacuation of 5,801.84MW, with a record daily energy output exceeding 128,000 megawatt-hours.
“Average daily available generation rose to 5,700MW as of Q1 2025, compared to 4,100MW in Q3 2023 — a 40 per cent increase in less than two years.”
According to him, the government has restored 345MW of previously idle capacity at power plants in Benin, Calabar and Omotosho.
The Zungeru Hydropower Plant is currently delivering 550MW to the grid, with full evacuation of its 700MW capacity underway.
He disclosed that work is progressing on the Kaduna Thermal Power Plant, which is 87 per cent complete and expected to add 215MW once operational.
