The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has assured Nigerians that electricity supply across the country will be restored within 24 to 48 hours following a sharp drop in generation caused by gas supply disruptions.
The assurance was conveyed in a statement issued Tuesday night in Abuja by Bolaji Tunji, Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and Media Relations to the Minister of Power. According to the statement, Adelabu gave the commitment during an emergency meeting with key stakeholders in the power sector.
The meeting brought together officials of the Nigeria Independent System Operator, the Transmission Company of Nigeria, the Ministry of Power, electricity generation companies and distribution companies to assess the situation and agree on immediate corrective steps.
Tunji explained that the decline in power supply followed an explosion on the Escravos–Lagos Gas Pipeline, compounded by acts of vandalism on critical gas infrastructure in the Niger Delta. The incident disrupted gas supply to several thermal power plants, leading to a significant drop in electricity generation on the national grid.
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Stakeholders at the meeting confirmed that repair works on the damaged pipeline were already underway and nearing completion. They assured the minister that gas supply to affected power stations would resume within the next 24 to 48 hours, allowing electricity generation to recover.
Adelabu directed all relevant agencies to intensify efforts to ensure the repairs are completed within the agreed timeline, stressing that any delay would worsen the hardship currently being faced by households and businesses.
The minister’s comments followed an earlier statement by the Nigeria Independent System Operator, which confirmed that the pipeline explosion caused a major reduction in electricity generation nationwide. NISO said several gas-fired power plants recorded reduced output, resulting in a shortfall in available generation capacity and widespread outages.
NISO also disclosed that it was closely monitoring repair works being carried out by the Nigerian Gas Processing and Transportation Company, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, and had received firm assurances that full operations would resume within 48 hours.
Adelabu acknowledged the inconvenience being experienced by Nigerians, especially during the Yuletide season when electricity demand is typically high. He described the disruption as temporary and directly linked to acute gas supply constraints rather than systemic failure in the power sector.
Preliminary investigations, he said, confirmed that the explosion on the Escravos–Lagos Gas Pipeline and vandalism of gas facilities significantly reduced the volume of gas required to power key electricity plants, leading to the sharp decline in national grid output.
The minister reassured Nigerians that the Federal Government was treating the incident with urgency and seriousness, noting that teams were working round the clock to restore normalcy.
He expressed confidence that power generation would improve markedly within the next 24 to 48 hours, with a gradual return to stable supply once gas flows are fully restored.
Beyond the immediate response, Adelabu said the government was accelerating long-term measures to diversify Nigeria’s energy mix, strengthen grid resilience and deploy advanced surveillance technology to protect critical power and gas infrastructure.
He appealed to Nigerians for patience and understanding, while urging communities to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities around power and gas facilities to security agencies.
Adelabu reaffirmed the commitment of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration to delivering stable, reliable and sustainable electricity to support homes, industries and the broader economy.
