Adelabu promises end to blackouts as gas crisis bites

Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has pledged that Nigerians will soon see meaningful improvements in electricity supply, using a message to mark the Eid-el-Fitr holiday on Thursday to signal that the Federal Government is moving to resolve the gas supply crisis that has driven generation to critically low levels.

“The reforms initiated by President Bola Tinubu are beginning to take root,” Mr Adelabu said, “and Nigerians will soon witness the full benefits.”

The assurance comes at a particularly fraught moment for the sector. Gas suppliers have halted deliveries to thermal power plants over an estimated ₦3.3 trillion in unpaid debts owed by generation companies — a financial impasse that has pushed electricity output below 4,000 megawatts in recent weeks and plunged much of the country into prolonged blackouts.

The crisis behind the promise

Thermal plants require approximately 1,629.75 million standard cubic feet (mmscf) of gas per day to operate at full capacity. As of 23rd February 2026, actual supply stood at roughly 692 mmscf — barely 43 per cent of what is needed, according to the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO).

Dr Joy Ogaji, Chief Executive of the Association of Power Generation Companies, has warned that the mounting debt across the power value chain is pushing the sector towards a major crisis, with gas suppliers having withdrawn services in response to the growing arrears. Several generation companies have since appealed to consumers for patience, maintaining that the deteriorating situation is beyond their immediate control.

The blackouts have landed with particular severity, given the intense heat gripping much of the country and the rising cost of fuel, which has made private generator use — long the default fallback for millions of Nigerians — increasingly unaffordable.

What the government is promising

Mr Adelabu said concrete measures were being implemented to ensure more reliable and sustainable electricity for homes, businesses and industries, though he did not specify what those measures entail or attach timelines to the promised improvements. He described the current difficulties as part of a broader transition, adding: “The challenges we face today are, without doubt, the building blocks of a more prosperous tomorrow.”

The minister also pointed to President Tinubu’s recent engagements in the United Kingdom as a signal of intent, suggesting the meetings were expected to draw investment into critical sectors, including power infrastructure. He urged Nigerians to sustain the spirit of collective sacrifice, framing public patience as a necessary ingredient in the reform process.

Resolving the gas supply constraints, he said, remains the government’s central priority in stabilising the sector.