NISO Blames Gas Shortages and Low Water Levels for Nigeria Power Cuts

Nigeria's power generation has declined sharply due to a combination of insufficient gas supplies and falling water levels in hydroelectric reservoirs, the Nigerian Independent System Operator announced on Thursday. The twin constraint has forced thermal power plants to operate below capacity while simultaneously reducing output from hydroelectric facilities that depend on reservoir water inflows.

The result is a smaller pool of electricity available for distribution across the national grid. Thermal power stations require consistent gas supply to generate electricity, but limited availability has prevented many facilities from reaching their potential output levels.

At the same time, hydroelectric plants have faced reduced generation capacity as water inflows into major reservoirs have declined. Distribution companies across the country have responded by cutting supply hours and implementing load shedding schedules, leaving customers with fewer hours of electricity access during a period of heightened demand for cooling and air conditioning.

The power shortage comes at a time when Nigeria is experiencing intense heat, intensifying the impact on households and businesses that depend on electricity for essential services and climate control. Distribution companies have been forced to manage reduced allocations from the national grid by rationing supply to their customers.

The precise number of megawatts lost or the duration of expected outages was not specified in the operator's statement. The Nigerian Independent System Operator made the disclosure in a statement issued on Thursday, November 5, 2026, without providing a projected timeline for when generation capacity might recover or what measures are being taken to address either the gas supply bottleneck or the hydroelectric constraint.