Seven power plants across Nigeria are expected to experience gas supply constraints as Seplat Energy shuts down a major facility for scheduled maintenance, raising fears of potential electricity shortfalls and looming blackouts, the Nigerian Independent System Operator has warned.
In a notice issued on Thursday, NISO alerted electricity market participants and consumers that the maintenance, slated for February 12 to 15, 2026, would temporarily reduce gas availability to some thermal power plants. The system operator emphasised that critical national infrastructure and essential services would be prioritised should load management measures be required during the period.
Power stations projected to be directly affected include Egbin, Azura, Sapele, and Transcorp Power Plants, while NDPHC Sapele, Olorunsogo, and Omotosho plants are likely to experience indirect constraints due to network-wide gas balancing effects.
The planned maintenance affects gas supply into the NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company Limited (NGIC) pipeline network and is expected to temporarily reduce thermal generation capacity on the national grid. At least seven power stations are projected to face direct and indirect constraints during the exercise.
In a separate press statement issued by NISO management and the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd, Andy Odeh, the system operator confirmed that gas availability to seven grid-connected power plants would be curtailed during the four-day exercise.
Earlier assessments by NISO indicate that the maintenance could result in a generation shortfall of about 934.96 megawatts, representing roughly 19.67 per cent of the combined available thermal and hydro generation capacity of 4,753.10MW on the grid.
The notice read in part: “The Nigerian Independent System Operator hereby informs the general public and all electricity market participants of anticipated gas supply constraints affecting some major thermal power generating stations connected to the national grid.
“This situation arises from a formal notification received on the scheduled maintenance shutdown of a major gas supply facility from 12 to 15 February 2026 (both days inclusive). Full gas supply is expected to be restored on 16 February 2026.
“During the maintenance period, gas availability to certain power plants that depend on this supply network will be temporarily reduced. This will result in a temporary reduction in available thermal generation capacity across the national grid. This reduction underscores the need for careful system operation to maintain grid stability and reliability.”
NISO, which recently assumed the role of independent system operator under Nigeria’s restructured electricity market framework, said it would deploy real-time operational measures to preserve grid integrity throughout the maintenance window.
“In line with its statutory mandate, NISO will deploy appropriate real-time operational measures to safeguard the integrity and security of the national grid throughout the maintenance window,” the statement added.
“Any load shedding, if required, will be implemented in a structured, transparent, and equitable manner in close coordination with distribution companies. Priority will be accorded to critical national infrastructure, essential services, and security installations,” it emphasised.
The operator assured stakeholders that all decisions taken during the period would follow established grid security and reliability standards. “NISO assures all stakeholders and electricity consumers that every action taken during this period will be strictly guided by established operational procedures, grid security requirements, and reliability standards.
“The National Control Centre will intensify real-time system monitoring and contingency planning, while also ensuring fair load allocation based on available generation capacity,” the statement added.
Nigeria’s electricity grid remains heavily dependent on thermal power plants, which account for over 70 per cent of installed generation capacity and run primarily on natural gas supplied through pipelines and upstream processing facilities concentrated in the Niger Delta.
While Nigeria has abundant gas reserves—the largest in Africa—persistent supply bottlenecks, pipeline vandalism, payment arrears, and infrastructure maintenance have repeatedly disrupted electricity generation.
Industry data show that even when installed capacity exceeds 13,000MW, actual available generation often hovers between 4,000MW and 5,000MW due to gas shortages, transmission constraints, and plant outages.
Egbin, for instance, remains the largest single thermal power station in Nigeria with an installed capacity of 1,320MW. Azura-Edo contributes 461MW, while Transcorp’s Ughelli plant has over 900MW installed capacity. Any reduction in gas supply to these facilities typically has an immediate ripple effect across the national grid.
In a related statement titled “Notice of Scheduled Maintenance on Major Gas Plant and Facilities,” the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited confirmed the routine maintenance on its gas production facilities from February 12 to 15.
Seplat, a joint venture partner of NNPC Ltd and a key supplier of gas into the NGIC pipeline network, described the exercise as part of standard safety and asset integrity protocols.
“The public is hereby informed that Seplat Energy Plc, a Joint Venture partner of NNPC Ltd and a key supplier of gas into the NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company Limited pipeline network, has scheduled routine maintenance on its gas production facilities from 12th to 15th February 2026.
“This planned activity forms part of standard industry safety and asset integrity protocols designed to ensure the continued reliability, efficiency, and safe operation of critical gas infrastructure. Periodic maintenance of this nature is essential to sustain optimal system performance, strengthen operational resilience, and minimise the risk of unplanned outages,” the statement said.
The company acknowledged that the maintenance would temporarily reduce gas supply into the NGIC network, with possible knock-on effects on electricity generation.
“During the four-day maintenance period, there will be a temporary reduction in gas supply into the NGIC pipeline network. As a result, some power generation companies reliant on this supply may experience reduced gas availability, which could modestly impact electricity generation levels within the timeframe,” it added.
NNPC Ltd and Seplat said they were working to ensure the exercise is completed as scheduled, while mitigation measures are being put in place. “NNPC Ltd and Seplat Energy are working closely to ensure that the maintenance is executed safely and completed as scheduled.
In parallel, NNPC Gas Marketing Limited is engaging alternative gas suppliers to mitigate anticipated supply gaps and maintain stability across the network. Upon completion of the maintenance exercise, full gas supply into the NGIC system is expected to resume promptly, enabling affected power generation companies to return to normal operations.”
The Executive Director of PowerUp Nigeria, Mr Adetayo Adegbemle, faulted the handling of the planned maintenance, describing it as evidence of poor long-term planning in the power sector. Reacting to the announcement of anticipated gas constraints, Adegbemle said the development reflects a systemic failure to build buffers into critical infrastructure planning.
“This announcement shows our inability to plan ahead. Nothing says we should not have storage facilities that would hold us for days while this maintenance is being done,” he said. He argued that with better foresight, the impact of routine maintenance on electricity generation could be significantly reduced.
“I want to believe it is just our Nigerian way of approaching all issues that is accounting for this. We really need to change our thinking and approach to issues. We need to chase excellence in all we do,” Adegbemle added. He stressed that as Nigeria continues to depend heavily on gas-fired power plants, investments in gas storage and strategic reserves would help shield electricity consumers from avoidable supply shocks during scheduled maintenance or unexpected disruptions.
For millions of Nigerians, however, the technical language of “gas balancing effects” and “maintenance windows” may translate simply into darker homes, noisier generators, and higher fuel expenses over the four-day period.
As the country pushes reforms under the Electricity Act and seeks to attract investment into generation and gas infrastructure, the latest development reinforces a recurring lesson: Nigeria’s power stability remains inseparably tied to the reliability of its gas supply chain.
SOURCE: PUNCH NEWS PAPER
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