Breaking: Military Officer Opposing Wike Survives Assassination Attempt in Abuja

Nigeria’s Power Supply Plummets to 3,656MW as Gas Workers’ Strike Cripples Grid

Nigeria’s fragile electricity sector suffered a severe blow on Tuesday morning as power generation fell sharply to 3,656 megawatts (MW), well below the critical 4,000MW threshold. This steep decline follows the second day of industrial action by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) over its dispute with Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

Checks on the national grid at 7:00 a.m. showed that total load allocation to electricity distribution companies (DisCos) had plunged from 4,320MW recorded the previous day to the lowest levels seen in weeks. Abuja Electricity Distribution Company received 537MW, Ikeja Electric 530MW, and Eko Electricity Distribution Company 451MW, exposing the deepening strain on supply.

The majority of Nigeria’s gas-fired thermal power plants, which form the backbone of the nation’s electricity system, were forced offline due to widespread gas shortages. Only a handful of large stations most notably Delta Power Plant (472MW) and Egbin Power Plant (447MW) remained operational, leaving the grid dangerously over-reliant on limited hydropower generation and emergency stabilizing measures. This disruption underscores the overdependence on gas-fired plants, which provide about 70% of Nigeria’s total electricity supply.

The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) confirmed that the drastic generation shortfall was triggered directly by the PENGASSAN strike, which disrupted critical gas supply chains nationwide.

“These disruptions triggered widespread gas shortages, reducing available generation from over 4,300 MW in the early hours of Sunday, 28th September 2025, to about 3,200 MW at the lowest point,” the NISO statement read.

Emergency Stabilization Measures Prevent Nationwide Blackout To avert a catastrophic grid collapse, the NISO National Control Centre (NCC) swiftly deployed emergency interventions, including:

Hydropower Optimization: Strategic ramp-ups from Kainji, Jebba, and Shiroro dams contributed over 400MW to offset gas shortfalls.

Real-Time Generation Dispatch: Balancing limited supply with demand to prevent dangerous frequency fluctuations.

Voltage and Frequency Support: Deploying reactive power compensation to stabilize system operations.

Demand-Side Management: Implementing selective load shedding to protect grid integrity while ensuring fairness in supply allocation.

These actions allowed the system operator to maintain electricity flow to critical national infrastructure, including hospitals, airports, and military installations, while minimizing disruption to households and businesses.

In its official statement, NISO emphasized that proactive grid management was the only reason Nigeria escaped a nationwide blackout.

“These timely actions enabled the NISO NCC to minimize the impact of the labour-induced gas shortages, sustain operational security, and maintain supply to critical loads. The System Operator reaffirms its commitment to proactive grid management, operational excellence, and best-in-class practices to guarantee a secure and reliable electricity supply for the nation.”

The collapse in supply highlights the vulnerability of Nigeria’s power sector, where any disruption to gas infrastructure has an immediate and severe impact on electricity stability. Businesses are already counting losses, while households and critical institutions remain at risk of blackouts as the dispute drags on.

The strike, now in its second day, continues to paralyze the energy value chain, deepening economic uncertainty. Without a swift resolution between government negotiators, Dangote Refinery management, and labour leaders, Nigerians face prolonged hardship and further instability in electricity supply.