The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, has assured Nigerians that the current power outage across parts of the country is temporary and that electricity supply will be restored within 24 to 48 hours.

Adelabu gave the assurance on Tuesday amid a noticeable decline in electricity availability nationwide, which he attributed to a temporary shortfall in power generation caused mainly by disruptions in gas supply to thermal power plants.

The minister said efforts were already underway to stabilise the national grid and restore electricity supply to normal levels across the country.

Reports indicate that the drop in power supply followed an explosion on the Escravos–Lagos Gas Pipeline (ELP), coupled with acts of vandalism on critical gas infrastructure in the Niger Delta region. The incidents disrupted gas supply to several gas-fired power plants, leading to reduced electricity generation.

Adelabu’s assurance followed a statement by the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO), which informed the public and stakeholders in the power sector that it was closely monitoring repair works being carried out by the Nigerian Gas Processing and Transportation Company (NGPTC), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

According to NISO, the explosion on the Escravos–Lagos Gas Pipeline resulted in a significant reduction in electricity generation nationwide, as several gas-fired power stations recorded low output after the incident.

The system operator explained that the reduced output from these power stations led to a drop in available generation capacity on the national grid and, consequently, a shortfall in electricity supply to consumers.

However, NISO said it had received assurances from NGPTC that restoration works on the vandalised pipeline were nearing completion, with full operations expected to resume within 24 to 48 hours.

In a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and Media Relations to the Minister of Power, Mr Bolaji Tunji, Adelabu acknowledged the inconvenience being experienced by households and businesses due to the power disruption.

“The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, has assured Nigerians that electricity supply will be rapidly restored following the recent decline caused by a temporary shortfall in power supply.

The situation is expected to be resolved within the next 24 to 48 hours,” the statement said.

The minister emphasised that the disruption was temporary and directly linked to acute gas supply constraints affecting several thermal power generation stations.

He reiterated the assurances during a meeting held on Tuesday in Abuja with key stakeholders in the power sector, including officials of NISO, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), the Ministry of Power, Power Generation Companies (GenCos) and Power Distribution Companies (DisCos).

Adelabu stressed the urgency of restoring gas supply and ramping up power generation, particularly in view of increased electricity demand during the Yuletide season.

At the meeting, stakeholders confirmed that repairs on the vandalised gas pipelines would be completed within 24 to 48 hours, thereby enabling the resumption of gas supply to affected power plants.

The minister subsequently directed all relevant agencies to intensify efforts to ensure that the restoration timeline was strictly adhered to.

Preliminary investigations, according to Adelabu, established that the gas supply shortage was caused by the explosion on the Escravos–Lagos Gas Pipeline and acts of vandalism on gas pipelines in the Niger Delta.

He said the incidents significantly reduced the volume of gas required to power key electricity plants, resulting in a sharp decline in overall power generation on the national grid.

While acknowledging the impact of the power disruption on businesses and households, the minister assured Nigerians of the Federal Government’s commitment to resolving the issue swiftly.

“We understand the frustration this has caused Nigerians. However, we wish to assure the public that the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Power, is working around the clock to address the situation with utmost urgency,” Adelabu said.

He expressed confidence that there would be a marked improvement in gas supply and electricity generation within the next 24 to 48 hours, with a gradual return to normal generation levels thereafter.

Adelabu further stated that the Federal Government was treating the incident with seriousness, noting that beyond immediate restoration efforts, long-term measures were being accelerated to diversify the nation’s energy mix, strengthen grid resilience and deploy advanced surveillance technologies to protect critical infrastructure.

He appealed to Nigerians for patience and understanding during the temporary disruption and urged communities to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities around power and gas facilities to security agencies, stressing that the protection of national infrastructure was a collective responsibility.

The minister also reaffirmed the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to delivering stable, reliable and sustainable electricity to power homes, industries and the national economy.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Independent System Operator reiterated that it was closely monitoring repair works on the Escravos–Lagos Gas Pipeline following the explosion that disrupted gas supply to power plants.

In a statement signed by its management, NISO said the incident occurred on the pipeline operated by NGPTC and led to a significant drop in electricity generation nationwide.

It added that several gas-fired power stations recorded low output after the explosion, reducing available generation capacity on the national grid and resulting in electricity supply shortfalls.

NISO said it was in close contact with NGPTC and had been assured that repairs on the vandalised pipeline were nearing completion.

According to the system operator, the pipeline is expected to be fully operational within the next 24 to 48 hours, enabling affected power plants to resume operations and restore electricity supply nationwide.