Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, said the affected areas had recorded improvements in electricity supply before the recent disruptions, assuring consumers that the government was working with relevant agencies to restore normal service.
The development comes amid growing complaints from households and businesses over reduced hours of electricity supply, with the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) identifying inadequate gas availability and lower water inflows into hydroelectric reservoirs as major constraints on power generation.
Data on electricity distribution showed that the 11 electricity distribution companies (DisCos) received a combined allocation of 2,926 megawatts as of 4:41 pm on Thursday, November 5, 2026.
Abuja Electricity Distribution Company received the largest allocation of 633MW, representing approximately 21.6 per cent of the total. Ibadan Disco followed with 391MW, while Port Harcourt Disco received 320MW.
Benin Disco was allocated 264MW, Eko Disco received 256MW and Enugu Disco got 253MW. Ikeja Disco received 249MW, while Kano and Kaduna DisCos were allocated 173MW and 167MW, respectively.
Jos Disco received 146MW, while Yola Disco recorded the lowest allocation at 74MW.
The figures show a substantial disparity in allocations, with Abuja Disco receiving more than eight times the amount allocated to Yola Disco.
However, the allocations represent the power made available to the distribution companies at the stated time and do not necessarily reflect the electricity ultimately supplied to consumers.
In a statement issued on Thursday through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Adeola Adelabu, Tegbe said preliminary assessments indicated that the latest disruptions were not the result of a major or systemic failure of the national grid.
He said the Ministry of Power was working with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), NISO and electricity distribution companies to resolve the operational constraints and improve supply.
“The Ministry acknowledges the inconvenience this has caused households, businesses and public institutions, and understands the frustration of Nigerians who had begun to see the benefits of steadier supply.
“We recognise what every hour without power means for individuals, families and businesses, and we do not take it lightly,” the minister said.
Tegbe explained that maintenance activities and operational difficulties across sections of the electricity value chain, combined with reduced power generation, had contributed to the decline.
He added that he had engaged relevant agencies and distribution companies to accelerate maintenance work, address the challenges and provide consumers with updates on restoration efforts.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has facilitated the release of 44 containers of electricity equipment previously stranded at the Apapa ports in Lagos, in a move aimed at supporting ongoing power infrastructure projects.
More than 300 containers had reportedly remained at the ports, with some stranded since 2014.
According to the minister, the clearance followed a directive by President Bola Tinubu after the last Federal Executive Council meeting, instructing the Ministry of Power to work with the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigerian Ports Authority to resolve outstanding issues preventing the release of the equipment.
Tegbe said the relevant agencies were directed to reconcile outstanding charges and facilitate the recovery of the stranded materials.
He disclosed that 44 containers had so far been released following the intervention, adding that technical experts would assess their contents before any deployment.
Equipment found to be serviceable would be channelled into ongoing electricity projects, while unusable materials would be disposed of through appropriate procedures.
The exercise follows a separate recovery operation by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), under its Managing Director, Jennifer Adighije, which reportedly secured 110 abandoned containers and 216 packages.
The recovery was said to have generated savings of more than N30 billion and helped unlock approximately 470 megawatts of electricity generation capacity through the recovery of turbines.
The latest intervention is expected to provide additional equipment for electricity infrastructure development, although the Ministry of Power has yet to disclose the specific contents of the 44 containers, their condition or when the recovered materials will be deployed.
The impact of the recovery exercise will therefore depend on the technical condition of the equipment and how quickly usable materials can be incorporated into ongoing projects.
