Blackout: We’ll restore electricity supply within 72 hours – Tegbe

Power Minister Joseph Tegbe, says the current erratic power supply in Lagos, Ogun and Kwara states and the Federal Capital Territory should be over between today and tomorrow.

The minister said in a statement late Friday that he was working round the clock with his team to rectify the situation.

He attributed the power shortage to planned maintenance at the Egbin Power Station in Lagos State and constraints in gas supply to some thermal power stations.

This development, according to him, has “reduced the amount of electricity available on the national grid.”

“Grid operators have, therefore, implemented load shedding in some areas to manage the shortfall,” he said.

He said sabotage of key transmission lines has also restricted the use of alternative routes to supply some locations, especially Lagos.

Continuing, the minister said he and his team “are working to return the affected generating units to service in phases, with the first units coming back on line within the next 48 to72 hours.

“We are also working with operators to improve gas supply and accelerate repairs to the damaged infrastructure.”

He apologised to consumers for the power disruption, saying “we recognise what every hour without power means for individuals, families and businesses, and we do not take it lightly.”

NNPC disputes gas supply constraints claim

However, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited is disputing the suggestion that inadequate gas supply to the power stations is the cause of the drop in electricity generation.

It said in a statement that its gas infrastructure remains available to support deliveries to power plants nationwide.

The company said operational records of its subsidiary, NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company Limited (NGIC), showed no transportation-related constraints within its network that could explain the drop in electricity generation.

NNPC said the operational status of its gas transportation network should be distinguished from gas production, commercial supply arrangements and actual deliveries to individual power plants.

The national oil company disclosed that gas production volumes had grown by about 10 per cent year-to-date in 2026, attributing the increase to the Federal Government’s gas development and monetisation agenda.

Reports from our correspondents across the states showed that the drop in power supply is having severe effects on households, the production chain and commercial activities.

Private consumers complained about the severe heat they have been enduring over the last few days owning to their inability to use fan and air conditioner.

Others spoke about the food stuff stored in their freezers that they have had to throw away after getting rotten.

Residents said the situation is so bad that they hardly have electricity supply up to two hours in a day.

Business owners, industrialists and entrepreneurs have also been counting their losses on account of the power situation.

A commercial printer in Osogbo, Osun State, Saheed Olarewaju, said he spends an average of N100,000 per day to fuel his generator to keep his business running.

But some private consumers have found solace in solar energy.

A resident of Akure, Bayo Akinmade, said the poor electricity supply has forced many households and business owners to rely on alternative sources of power, including solar systems and petrol-powered generators.

He said the current high cost of petrol and diesel has made generator usage increasingly expensive, further worsening the financial burden on households and small businesses.

“The electricity supply used to be good, but everything has changed. We hardly get up to three hours of power supply daily. The heat is becoming unbearable, and with the dry season setting in, it is difficult for people to sleep comfortably at night,” he told The Nation.

Households, shops, offices and other establishments in Yobe and Borno states are investing in solar panels, inverters and battery storage systems to reduce their dependence on the national grid and escape the recurring costs associated with unreliable electricity and generator use.

For some consumers, the initial investment in solar equipment is increasingly seen as a more sustainable option than continuing to pay electricity bills while spending additional money on petrol and diesel to power generators. The growing interest in solar is also consistent with a wider national trend, as rising electricity tariffs and generator expenses push more Nigerian households and businesses towards renewable energy alternatives.

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