Electricity shortages in Nigeria may get worse as gas suppliers reduce the amount of gas sent to thermal power plants.
These plants depend on gas to generate most of the country’s electricity.
According to the Nigerian Independent System Operator, power plants need about 1,629 million standard cubic feet of gas per day to run properly. However, as of February 23, 2026, they were receiving only about 692 million cubic feet, which is less than half of what is required. The situation has already caused blackouts in many states and affected businesses and households.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Power Generation Companies, Dr. Joy Ogaji, said the problem is linked to unpaid debts in the power sector. She explained that the government owes electricity generation companies about N6.8 trillion, most of it connected to gas-powered plants.
“The Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading company was created to buy power from generation companies and pay them fully, but since 2013 they have never paid in full. This has caused the debt to grow to about N6.8 trillion,” she said.
Ogaji added that gas suppliers are now refusing to supply fuel without payment, which could lead to even lower electricity generation.
“Gas suppliers have told us that if we want gas, we must first pay for it. We owe them a lot of money, and this is one of the main reasons Nigerians are experiencing darkness,” she said.
Across the country, residents and businesses are already feeling the impact. Many electricity distribution companies have introduced load shedding, meaning communities receive power for only a few hours or sometimes go days without electricity.
In Lagos, some residents protested over long blackouts. A resident, Mrs. Oyinlola, said the situation has made daily life difficult for her family.
“It has been three weeks without stable electricity. We cannot charge our phones, food in the fridge is getting spoiled, and the children are uncomfortable because of the heat,” she said.
Small business owners are also struggling. In Kano, welder Musa Abdullahi said he now spends thousands of naira daily on fuel for his generator because electricity supply has dropped sharply.
Power distribution companies have apologised to customers and said the outages are caused by gas shortages and other challenges affecting electricity generation across the country.