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Tegbe explained that maintenance and operational issues across sections of the electricity value chain, alongside reduced power generation, had contributed to the decline in supply.
Kano —
The Federal Government has attributed worsening electricity supply disruptions in Lagos, Abuja, Ogun, Kwara and Oyo states to gas shortages, maintenance and operational challenges across the power sector, as it moves to recover abandoned electricity equipment to strengthen the country’s power infrastructure.
The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, acknowledged the disruptions on Thursday, assuring electricity consumers that the government was working with relevant agencies and distribution companies to restore normal supply.
The minister said the affected areas had recorded noticeable improvements in electricity supply before the latest decline, which he attributed to a combination of factors, including inadequate gas supply to thermal power stations, reduced output from hydropower plants and maintenance challenges.
The development comes amid growing complaints from electricity consumers over reduced hours of electricity supply, with households and businesses increasingly relying on alternative sources of power to meet their daily needs.
The Nigerian Independent System Operator had identified inadequate gas supply and lower water inflows into hydroelectric reservoirs as major constraints affecting electricity generation and the quantity of power available on the national grid.
Latest electricity distribution data indicated that the 11 electricity distribution companies received a combined allocation of 2,926 megawatts as of 4:41pm on Thursday, November 5, 2026.
The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company received the highest allocation of 633 megawatts, representing approximately 21.6 per cent of the total electricity allocated to the distribution companies.
Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company followed with 391MW, while Port Harcourt Disco received 320MW.
Benin Disco received 264MW, while Eko Disco was allocated 256MW. Enugu Disco received 253MW, slightly higher than Ikeja Disco, which received 249MW.
Among the remaining distribution companies, Kano Disco received 173MW, Kaduna Disco 167MW and Jos Disco 146MW, while Yola Disco received the lowest allocation of 74MW.
The figures showed considerable differences in electricity allocations among the distribution companies, with Abuja Disco receiving more than eight times the allocation to Yola Disco.
However, the allocations represent the electricity load assigned to the distribution companies at the stated time and do not necessarily reflect the actual quantity of electricity ultimately 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 a major or systemic failure of the national grid.
He said the ministry was collaborating with the Transmission Company of Nigeria, the Nigerian Independent System Operator and electricity distribution companies to address the challenges and restore stable electricity supply.
The minister acknowledged the difficulties faced by households, businesses and public institutions, noting that the government understood the economic implications of prolonged electricity disruptions.
“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,” he said.
Tegbe explained that maintenance and operational issues across sections of the electricity value chain, alongside reduced power generation, had contributed to the decline in supply.
He added that he had engaged relevant agencies and distribution companies to resolve the identified constraints, accelerate ongoing maintenance activities and ensure that consumers received regular updates on efforts to restore electricity.
The minister’s acknowledgement of the disruptions coincided with the Federal Government’s announcement that it had facilitated the clearance of 44 containers of abandoned electricity equipment from the Apapa ports in Lagos.
The containers were part of more than 300 containers of power equipment that had remained stranded at the ports, with some reportedly abandoned since 2014.
According to the minister, the clearance followed a directive by President Bola Tinubu after the last Federal Executive Council meeting, instructing the Ministry of Power to work with the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigerian Ports Authority to resolve outstanding issues surrounding the stranded equipment.
Tegbe said the President directed the relevant agencies to reconcile outstanding charges and facilitate the release of the containers to enable the government to recover equipment that could support electricity infrastructure development.
He disclosed that the first 44 containers had been released following the intervention, adding that technical experts would inspect their contents to determine their condition and suitability for deployment.
The minister said equipment found to be serviceable would be deployed to ongoing electricity projects, while unusable items would be disposed of through appropriate procedures.
The recovery initiative is expected to provide additional equipment for ongoing power infrastructure projects and potentially reduce the cost of procuring replacement materials.
However, the ministry did not disclose the specific contents of the 44 containers, their present condition or when the recovered equipment would be deployed.
The latest intervention also comes after the Niger Delta Power Holding Company reportedly recovered 110 abandoned containers and 216 packages of electricity equipment under the leadership of its Managing Director, Jennifer Adighije.
The recovery was said to have saved the government more than N30bn and helped unlock approximately 470 megawatts of electricity generation capacity through recovered turbines.
The development highlights the potential impact of abandoned power infrastructure on Nigeria’s electricity sector, which continues to struggle with inadequate generation, transmission limitations, gas supply constraints and distribution challenges.
Despite successive government interventions and investments in the electricity sector, millions of Nigerians continue to experience unstable electricity supply, forcing businesses and households to depend heavily on petrol and diesel-powered generators.
For small businesses, particularly those operating in the manufacturing, hospitality, food processing and retail sectors, unreliable electricity supply increases operating expenses and affects productivity.
The latest disruptions have therefore renewed concerns about the sustainability of improvements in electricity supply and the need to address persistent challenges across the power value chain.
While the Federal Government’s recovery of abandoned equipment could support ongoing infrastructure projects, the immediate challenge remains ensuring adequate gas supply to thermal power stations, improving hydropower generation and resolving operational bottlenecks responsible for reduced electricity delivery.
