Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) have called on the Minister of Power to intervene in the ongoing blame game among stakeholders in the electricity sector, warning that the industry is slipping back into the pattern that characterised it between 2016 and 2019.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), Sunday Oduntan, made the appeal on Monday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, amid persistent electricity shortages across the country.
He criticised conflicting explanations from the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) over gas supply constraints.
Oduntan said disagreements among operators over the causes of poor electricity supply were threatening efforts to address the crisis, recalling a similar pattern of accusations that characterised the sector between 2016 and 2019.
He explained that distribution companies, transmission operators, generation companies and gas suppliers frequently blamed one another for inadequate electricity supply during that period.
The ANED chief also questioned conflicting explanations from NISO and NNPC regarding the factors responsible for the recent electricity shortages.
He noted that NISO had attributed the supply challenges partly to low water levels and inadequate gas supply, while NNPC subsequently issued a statement saying its gas transportation network had recorded no constraints affecting deliveries to power plants.
However, Oduntan questioned the completeness of the NNPC’s explanation, arguing that the company should clarify whether outstanding payments were affecting gas deliveries to power generation companies.
He urged the Minister of Power to bring the relevant stakeholders together to establish the actual causes of the shortages and ensure accountability.
Oduntan also apologised to Nigerians over the prolonged electricity shortages, acknowledging the hardship caused by weeks of inadequate supply.
The prolonged outages have intensified frustration among households and businesses, with unreliable electricity disrupting daily activities and increasing reliance on alternative power sources.
Nairametrics had earlier reported on the conflicting explanations from key electricity sector operators over the causes of the country’s power shortages.
However, NNPC challenged NISO’s explanation three days later. On November 8, 2026, Nairametrics reported that NNPC disputed NISO’s explanation, saying its gas transportation network had recorded no constraints affecting deliveries to power plants. The company also reported a 10% increase in gas production in 2026 year to date.
Nairametrics also reported on November 7, 2026, that the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, expected electricity supply to improve within 48 to 72 hours, following planned maintenance at Egbin Power Station, gas supply constraints and damage to critical transmission infrastructure.
