Confusion surrounds the cause of Wednesday’s national grid collapse, which left Nigeria in darkness.
While generation companies (GenCos) attributed the outage to the suspension of gas supply due to over N2.7 trillion in unpaid legacy debts, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) denied ordering gas suppliers to halt deliveries.
In a statement on Wednesday, NMDPRA clarified that it had not directed wholesale gas suppliers to cut off GenCos over the debts. This followed reports of an impending blackout linked to such an order. The grid collapse, which occurred around 1:36 pm, marked the 12th incident in 2024, according to the Jos Electricity Distribution Company.
NMDPRA distanced itself from responsibility, stating, “This incident is unrelated to recent discussions held during stakeholder engagements in Lagos and Abuja, which focused on implementing the wholesale supply license under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.”
The regulatory body reassured stakeholders and the public that it remains committed to ensuring uninterrupted gas and petroleum supply as the festive season approaches.
Meanwhile, Dr. Joy Ogaji, CEO of the Association of Power Generation Companies, confirmed that gas suppliers had ceased supply to GenCos, citing mounting debts. She noted that 70% of Nigeria’s electricity is generated from gas-fired power plants, and the suspension significantly contributed to Wednesday’s blackout.
“The total debt has risen to over N2.7 trillion, and thermal GenCos rely heavily on gas, which accounts for 70% of their operations,” Ogaji explained.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria, responsible for the national grid, has not commented on the incident. However, reports indicate that power restoration began Wednesday night, with parts of the Federal Capital Territory regaining electricity.
