NIGERIA’S fragile electricity supply deteriorated further on Thursday after power generation on the national grid declined sharply, worsening the country’s ongoing power crisis and triggering fresh load shedding across several regions.
Operational data obtained from the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) showed that total electricity generation fell to 2,898 megawatts (MW), representing an 11 percent drop from the 3,222MW recorded on Monday. The decline has intensified supply shortages across the grid, leaving electricity distribution companies struggling to meet demand in many parts of the country.
The reduction in available power forced Distribution Companies (DisCos) to introduce additional load-shedding measures across their various franchise areas nationwide. The development has led to widespread outages, with northern states particularly experiencing prolonged blackouts as the grid struggles to supply adequate electricity.
In a notice issued to stakeholders and the general public, NISO attributed the latest drop in generation largely to persistent gas supply constraints affecting several thermal power plants connected to the national grid.
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According to the system operator, generation levels were already under pressure earlier in the day due to limited gas availability. NISO stated that as of 05:00 hours on Thursday, March 5, 2026, total generation on the grid stood at 3,940.53MW, which was already below installed capacity because a number of power plants were operating with reduced gas supply.
The situation deteriorated further within hours. Between 06:00 and 08:00 hours, multiple generating units across several plants were forced to shut down after experiencing insufficient gas supply. The shutdowns resulted in a combined loss of about 292MW from the grid during that period, further tightening electricity supply nationwide.
Industry operational figures as of March 4, 2026, highlight the scale of the supply gap facing power producers. Thermal power plants in Nigeria require roughly 1,588.61 million standard cubic feet (MMSCF) of gas per day to operate at optimal capacity. However, the actual gas delivered to these plants stood at only 652.92MMSCF, representing about 41 percent of the volume required for efficient power generation.
The operator said the shortfall in gas supply has significantly constrained electricity output from thermal stations, which account for the majority of power generation on the Nigerian grid.
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NISO explained that the reduced gas availability has directly limited the volume of electricity that can be dispatched to the national grid, thereby contributing to the generation deficit currently affecting the system.
Despite the setback, the system operator said efforts were ongoing to stabilise supply. It noted that it is working closely with electricity generation companies (GenCos) and gas suppliers to address the disruption and restore generation levels once gas deliveries improve.
“NISO is actively working with the affected Generation Companies (GenCos) and relevant gas suppliers to closely monitor the situation and facilitate the restoration of generation as soon as gas supply to the affected plants stabilizes,” the operator said.
