Nigerians may begin to see a gradual improvement in electricity supply within the next two weeks as maintenance work on a key gas pipeline nears completion, government officials have said.
The Chief Technical Adviser to the Minister of Power, Adebayo Olowoniyi, made this known during an appearance on Arise TV on Thursday, explaining that the restoration of gas flow to power plants would significantly enhance electricity generation across the country.
His remarks follow a recent public apology by the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, over widespread outages that have disrupted households, businesses, and industrial activities nationwide.
Olowoniyi defended the minister’s apology, describing it as a mark of responsible leadership rather than an admission of wrongdoing. He attributed the recent drop in power supply primarily to ongoing maintenance on a major gas pipeline that fuels electricity-generating plants.
According to him, Nigeria’s dependence on gas remains substantial, with approximately 75 percent of its electricity generation tied to gas supply. He noted that as maintenance work concludes, gas pressure is expected to stabilize, allowing power plants to ramp up production to previous levels.
He added that early signs of recovery are already being observed, with incremental improvements anticipated as gas supply continues to increase in the coming days.
Earlier, Adelabu had reassured Nigerians that the situation would improve within a two-week window, citing progress in repair works and cooperation from gas suppliers. He also reiterated the Federal Government’s target of boosting electricity generation to 6,000 megawatts by the end of 2026, emphasizing that the current disruptions are temporary.
Nigeria’s power sector continues to grapple with persistent challenges, including insufficient gas supply, ageing infrastructure, and transmission limitations, which have long hindered stable electricity distribution across the country.
