Confusion Deepens Over National Grid Collapse as Investigation Continues

Nigeria has experienced its 12th national grid collapse in 2024, leaving the country in darkness. The collapse occurred on Wednesday at around 1:36 pm, according to the Jos Electricity Distribution Company.

The cause of the collapse is still unclear, with generation companies blaming the stoppage of gas supply due to over N2 trillion in legacy debts. However, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) denied issuing a directive to wholesale gas suppliers to halt gas supply to Generation Companies (GenCos) over the N2 trillion indebtedness.

Dr. Joy Ogaji, Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Power Generation Companies, confirmed that gas suppliers had halted supply to GenCos. She explained that the development comes after gas-producing companies formally notified all GenCos of the suspension of natural gas supply.

According to her, 70 percent of Nigeria’s power is produced by gas-fired power plants, making the halt in gas supply a significant factor in the power outage. “They (gas suppliers) have halted the supply. The total debt has now increased to over N2.7 trillion, and you know that 70 percent of thermal GenCos invoices are gas,” she stated.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), responsible for the country’s national grid, has yet to comment on the latest power outage. However, power restoration has commenced, with bulk electricity supply restored to some parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on Wednesday night.