The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has disputed the explanation by the Nigerian Independent System Operator that gas supply constraints are contributing to the decline in Nigeria’s electricity generation.
NNPC reported about 10 per cent growth in gas production volumes in 2026 year to date.
In a press statement issued in Abuja on November 6, 2026, NNPC said its gas transportation network had no recorded constraints affecting deliveries to power generating stations nationwide.
The clarification followed a NISO statement of November 5, which attributed the fall in electricity generation to limited gas availability for thermal power plants and reduced water inflows into hydroelectric reservoirs.
NNPC said the gas transportation network operated by its subsidiary, NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company Limited (NGIC), remains available to support deliveries to power stations, with no transportation-related constraints recorded within its network.
The company attributed the 10 per cent growth in gas production to the Federal Government’s gas development and monetisation agenda. It maintained that gas supply availability was not a challenge and reaffirmed its commitment to supporting electricity generation through reliable gas supply and transportation.
The statement was signed by Andy Odeh, Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Limited, and partly reads:
“NNPC Limited confirms that gas transportation network operated by its subsidiary, NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company Limited (NGIC), remains available to support deliveries to power generating stations Nationwide without any constraints. NGIC’s operational records do not indicate transportation-related constraints within its network that explain the current decline in electricity generation.”
NNPC said the availability of its transportation network should be assessed separately from gas production, commercial supply arrangements and actual deliveries to individual power plants.
It added that a proper assessment of the generation shortfall should also examine power plant readiness, maintenance schedules and actual gas offtake.
The company called for a coordinated review involving gas suppliers, transporters, power generators and NISO to identify the specific constraints.
In its November 5 statement, NISO blamed the decline in electricity generation on limited gas availability for thermal power stations and reduced output from hydroelectric stations due to lower water inflows into reservoirs.
The system operator said the constraints had reduced the electricity available for distribution, resulting in shorter supply hours and increased load shedding across distribution networks.
It said insufficient gas had prevented some thermal generating stations from operating at available capacity.
It added that reduced water inflows had affected the output of hydroelectric stations.
NISO said the impact varied across the country, depending on available generation and electricity allocations to individual Distribution Companies (DisCos).
The system operator acknowledged the impact on consumers and said it was working to diversify the national grid’s energy mix to strengthen electricity supply security.
The disagreement follows earlier disputes over the causes of electricity disruptions. Nairametrics recently reported that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) accused Ikeja Electric of misleading customers by attributing feeder outages in parts of Lagos to grid instability.
TCN maintained that the disruptions were largely caused by reduced power generation and faults on Ikeja Electric’s distribution network.
TCN said 68 per cent of interruptions recorded on feeders supplying Ikeja Electric on November 1 and 2 resulted from frequency-control load shedding caused by low generation.
Another 26 per cent were linked to Ikeja Electric’s non-compliance with load allocations, or to faults and maintenance on its network.
The remaining six per cent involved TCN-planned maintenance, switching operations or line limitations.
Of the 46 interruptions recorded on the 33kV feeders listed in Ikeja Electric’s notice, TCN attributed 29 to low generation and 14 to the distribution company. The remaining three were linked to scheduled TCN maintenance.
TCN also cited Section 67 of the Electricity Act 2023, which it said assigns NISO the responsibility for determining the causes of disturbances and interruptions on the national grid.
It urged DisCos to rely on verified information from NISO when explaining supply disruptions to customers.
