The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) has assured that every electricity Distribution Company (DisCo) received power allocations, even as gas shortages triggered a 292 megawatt (MW) drop in national grid generation between March 20 and 22, 2026.
Dismissing contrary media reports in a Monday statement from Abuja, NISO explained that reduced output stemmed from supply constraints hitting thermal plants, but available electricity was fairly dispatched under the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO).
“The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) wishes to inform stakeholders and the public of the continued decline in electricity generation on the national grid arising from persistent gas supply constraints affecting several thermal power plants.
Between 06:00 hours and 08:00 hours, several generating units were forced to shut down as a result of inadequate gas supply to the plants.
“This resulted in a cumulative reduction of approximately 292 MW in available generation on the grid during the period.
Operational data as of 04 March 2026 indicate that thermal power plants require approximately 1,588.61 million standard cubic feet (MMSCF) of gas per day to operate at optimal capacity’’, NISO stated.
As of 5:00 a.m. on March 23, grid generation stood at 3,940.53 MW—short of potential due to gas limits.
From 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m., unit shutdowns from inadequate supply cut another 292 MW.
Thermal plants require about 1,588.61 million standard cubic feet (MMSCF) of gas daily for optimal operation, NISO noted.
Supply variations across areas reflect the generation dip, not zero allocations to any DisCo, the operator emphasised. NISO recommitted to transparent operations and called for reliance on official sources to combat power sector misinformation.
