Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has publicly apologised to citizens over the prolonged electricity outages that have disrupted daily life and strained businesses across the country.
The minister acknowledged that the persistent blackout has intensified hardship for households, industries and educational institutions already grappling with extreme dry-season heat and rising energy demand.
Speaking during a media briefing, Adelabu admitted that the situation had become difficult for many Nigerians who rely on steady electricity for economic activities and basic comfort.
“I want to sincerely apologise to Nigerians for the inconvenience caused by the recent power supply disruptions,” Adelabu said.
“The outages have created challenges for homes, schools and businesses, especially during a period of intense heat.”
However, the minister emphasised that the crisis was largely linked to operational challenges within the energy supply chain rather than deliberate government action.
According to him, interruptions in gas supply to power plants, particularly those connected to infrastructure managed by Seplat Energy, significantly reduced electricity generation capacity nationwide.
He explained that repair work on affected gas pipelines is underway and expressed confidence that improvements in electricity supply would begin to emerge soon.
“We have a clear timeline for restoring gas flow to the affected facilities,” Adelabu stated.
“Within the next two weeks, Nigerians should begin to notice a gradual improvement in electricity supply.”
Furthermore, the federal government has established a technical committee tasked with monitoring compliance by gas producers with domestic supply obligations to electricity generation companies.
Adelabu said the panel would ensure that gas suppliers meet contractual commitments to power plants, a key requirement for stabilising electricity generation across the grid.
“In addition to repairs, we are also strengthening monitoring mechanisms so that gas producers deliver the volumes required for power generation,” he said.
“That oversight will help prevent similar disruptions in the future.”
Industry data indicates that Nigeria’s electricity sector remains heavily dependent on gas-fired plants, making it particularly vulnerable to disruptions in pipeline infrastructure and fluctuations in gas availability.
Liquidity challenges within the power value chain, including payment delays to suppliers, have also contributed to the recurring instability in generation and distribution.
Nevertheless, the minister insisted that authorities are working continuously to stabilise the sector and restore public confidence in the national grid.
“We are working around the clock to return the sector to the level of performance Nigerians experienced in recent months,” Adelabu added. “Our goal is not only recovery but sustained improvement.”
Looking ahead, the government maintains that electricity output will rise significantly as reforms take hold.
Adelabu reiterated the administration’s target of increasing national generation capacity to 6,000 megawatts before the end of 2026.
“Generation will improve, transmission will improve and distribution will improve,” he said. “We are determined to deliver a more reliable power supply for Nigerians.”
Nigeria’s power sector has struggled for decades with structural constraints, including ageing infrastructure, transmission bottlenecks, inadequate gas supply and persistent financial pressures across the electricity market.
However, authorities say ongoing reforms and infrastructure upgrades are expected to gradually strengthen the reliability of the country’s electricity system.