The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has acknowledged worsening electricity supply disruptions in Lagos, Abuja, Ogun, Kwara and Oyo states, as the Federal Government begins efforts to recover abandoned power equipment, starting with the evacuation of 44 containers from Apapa ports in Lagos.
Tegbe said the affected areas had experienced noticeable improvements in electricity supply before the latest disruptions, which he attributed to maintenance and operational challenges, gas shortages at thermal power plants and reduced generation from hydropower stations.
The development comes amid increasing complaints from electricity consumers over declining supply hours. The Nigerian Independent System Operator has identified inadequate gas supply and reduced water inflows into hydroelectric reservoirs as major factors limiting electricity generation on the national grid.
Data from the latest electricity distribution report showed that the 11 electricity distribution companies received a combined allocation of 2,926 megawatts as of 4:41pm on Thursday, November 5, 2026.
Abuja Electricity Distribution Company received the largest allocation of 633MW, representing approximately 21.6 per cent of the total power distributed to the 11 DisCos. Ibadan Disco followed with 391MW, while Port Harcourt Disco received 320MW.
Benin Disco was allocated 264MW, followed by Eko Disco with 256MW. Enugu Disco received 253MW, marginally higher than Ikeja Disco’s 249MW.
Of the remaining distribution companies, Kano Disco received 173MW, Kaduna Disco 167MW and Jos Disco 146MW, while Yola Disco recorded the lowest allocation at 74MW.
The figures highlight a wide disparity in electricity allocations among the distribution companies, with Abuja Disco receiving more than eight times the power allocated to Yola Disco.
The figures represent the load allocated to the distribution companies at the stated time and do not necessarily reflect the actual electricity delivered to consumers.
In a statement issued on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Adeola Adelabu, Tegbe said preliminary assessments indicated that the disruptions were not caused by any major or systemic failure of the national grid.
He added that the Federal Government was working with the Transmission Company of Nigeria, the Nigerian Independent System Operator and electricity distribution companies to resolve the challenges and restore normal power supply.
“The Ministry acknowledges the inconvenience this has caused households, businesses and public institutions, and understands the frustration of Nigerians who had begun to see the benefits of steadier supply.
“We recognise what every hour without power means for individuals, families and businesses, and we do not take it lightly,” the minister said.
He attributed the decline in electricity supply to maintenance and operational challenges across parts of the power value chain, coupled with reduced power generation.
Tegbe said he had engaged relevant government agencies and electricity distribution companies to address the constraints, fast-track ongoing maintenance work and keep consumers updated on efforts to restore normal supply.
The minister’s acknowledgement of the disruptions coincided with the Federal Government’s announcement that it had facilitated the clearance of 44 containers of electricity equipment from Apapa ports in Lagos, where more than 300 containers had been stranded, some since 2014.
According to Tegbe, the President directed the relevant agencies to reconcile outstanding charges and facilitate the release of the stranded equipment.
He said the first batch of 44 containers had been released following the intervention, adding that technical experts would assess their contents before deployment.
Tegbe explained that equipment found to be serviceable would be deployed to ongoing electricity projects, while unusable items would be disposed of appropriately.
The exercise follows the recovery of 110 abandoned containers and 216 packages by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company under the leadership of its Managing Director, Jennifer Adighije.
The recovery reportedly saved the government more than N30bn and helped unlock approximately 470 megawatts of electricity generation capacity through the restoration of recovered turbines.
The latest clearance is expected to provide additional equipment for ongoing power infrastructure projects. However, the ministry did not disclose the specific contents of the 44 containers, their condition or when the equipment would be deployed.
