Expert blames gas shortages, structural failures to Nigeria’s power crisis
Lagos, March, 2026 (TBL Africa) An energy expert, Dr Olukayode Akinrolabu, has attributed the Nigeria’s persistent electricity challenges to the worsening situation, gas supply constraints, mounting sector debts, and entrenched systemic inefficiencies.
Akinrolabu said on Tuesday in Lagos against the back drop of constitence epileptic electricity supply to consumers.
Akinrolabu, who chairs the Customer Consultative Forum for Festac and Satellite Town, described the state of electricity supply in the country as “appalling,” noting that it reflects deeper structural challenges that have lingered for decades.
According to him, the primary cause of the current poor power supply is the sharp decline in electricity generation, driven largely by insufficient gas supply to thermal power plants.
He explained that pipeline vandalism in Rivers State and the Federal Government’s inability to settle over N3.3 trillion owed to gas suppliers have severely disrupted generation capacity.
“The ongoing crisis is fundamentally a generation problem,” Akinrolabu said.
“Gas suppliers can no longer sustain delivery due to unpaid debts, while infrastructure vandalism continues to cripple supply channels.
He revealed that Nigeria’s current electricity generation stands at approximately 2,669 megawatts, far below the expected average of about 5,000 megawatts.
The shortfall, he added, has forced the country to rely heavily on hydroelectric power, with gas-fired plants operating well below optimal levels.
While public criticism often targets distribution companies (DisCos) and transmission operators, Akinrolabu stressed that these entities have limited responsibility for the immediate causes of the crisis.
However, he acknowledged that longstanding inefficiencies within the distribution segment have worsened the impact on consumers.
He listed key challenges within DisCos to include obsolete and dilapidated infrastructure, poor maintenance culture, inadequate customer data for planning, and a mismatch between energy demand and available supply.
He also cited internal issues such as revenue leakages, fraudulent practices, and persistent vandalism of installations as factors undermining operational efficiency.
“These are remote causes that compound the problem.
“The DisCos inherited more liabilities than assets, and this continues to affect their capacity to deliver optimally,” he said.
On electricity pricing, Akinrolabu noted that many Nigerians lack a clear understanding of the economics of power supply.
He explained that electricity tariffs in Nigeria remain among the lowest globally, largely due to heavy government subsidies.
“Nigerians pay less than $0.14 per kilowatt-hour, which is significantly lower than global standards,” he said.
“The government subsidizes the sector to the tune of about N200 billion monthly and nearly N2.98 trillion annually.
He warned that such a subsidy regime is unsustainable and continues to discourage critical investments needed to expand generation and transmission capacity.
According to him, an estimated $2.5 billion is required to generate just 1,000 megawatts of electricity.
Akinrolabu also called for greater involvement of state governments in addressing the power deficit, urging them to allocate at least 25 per cent of their monthly federal allocations to developing independent power projects.
“States must take more responsibility by investing in power generation within their domains,” he said.
“This will complement federal efforts and help stabilise supply.”
He further emphasised the role of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission in enforcing compliance and ensuring that consumer protection provisions, including compensation mechanisms under existing laws, are effectively implemented.
As Nigeria continues to grapple with its power challenges, Akinrolabu maintained that resolving the crisis will require coordinated reforms, improved governance, and sustained investment across the entire electricity value chain
