Nigeria was plunged into darkness on Wednesday following the 12th national grid collapse of the year. The incident has sparked confusion over its cause, with differing accounts from power generation companies and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
Generation companies blamed the blackout on the stoppage of gas supply, citing over N2 trillion in legacy debts. However, the NMDPRA denied allegations that it had ordered gas suppliers to halt supply to generation companies (GenCos) due to the debts.
In a statement, the NMDPRA clarified that it had not directed gas suppliers to cut off supply. It explained that recent reports linking the collapse to a directive from the Authority were inaccurate, and the claims were to be disregarded. NMDPRA also reassured stakeholders that natural gas and petroleum distribution would continue seamlessly throughout the festive season.
Despite NMDPRA’s denial, Dr. Joy Ogaji, CEO of the Association of Power Generation Companies, confirmed that gas suppliers had indeed halted supply to GenCos due to the escalating debt, which now exceeds N2.7 trillion. This suspension, she explained, was the primary cause of Wednesday’s power outage, as gas-fired plants account for 70 percent of Nigeria’s electricity generation.
At approximately 1:36 pm on Wednesday, power went out nationwide, leaving millions without electricity. The blackout was confirmed by the Jos Electricity Distribution Company.
While the outage caused widespread disruption, efforts to restore power were underway by the evening, with bulk electricity supply being gradually restored in some areas, including parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The Transmission Company of Nigeria, responsible for the national grid, had yet to comment on the outage at the time of reporting.
