By Charles Pemu 
Millions of Nigerians face a bleak and dim holiday season as a severe liquidity crisis in the energy sector combined with targeted infrastructure sabotage has forced a drastic reduction in electricity generation nationwide. Gas producers have officially begun throttling supplies to thermal power plants across the country due to mounting unpaid debts, a development that has already plunged several regions into extended periods of blackout just days before the Christmas celebrations.
The crisis became apparent early this week when the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) issued a public alert to customers across the South-East, attributing the drop in power availability to low system frequency caused by chronic gas constraints. This shortage has compelled the Transmission Company of Nigeria to implement aggressive load shedding, severely impacting the daily service levels of subsidiary providers including MainPower, TransPower, and EastLand. A similar distress call was echoed by the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, which appealed for patience from consumers in the South-South as generation companies struggle to maintain optimal output.
The current energy failure is the result of a dual threat to the national grid involving both financial and physical disruptions. Joy Ogaji, the Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Power Generation Companies, confirmed that gas suppliers have started withdrawing their feedstock because the generation companies have failed to settle long-standing financial obligations. While the Federal Government recently announced the approval of ₦185 billion to settle these outstanding debts, the actual disbursement of funds remains in question, and gas companies appear unwilling to continue operations on credit.
Simultaneously, the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) disclosed that a major act of vandalism within the upstream gas pipeline network has further crippled the system. This incident has disrupted the flow of natural gas to several critical thermal stations, which account for more than 80 percent of the nation’s grid-connected power. The physical breach has exposed the extreme vulnerability of Nigeria’s electricity architecture, proving that even when financial hurdles are cleared, the physical security of the infrastructure remains a significant bottleneck.
In an effort to prevent a total collapse of the national grid, the system operator has activated emergency contingency measures, including an increased dispatch from hydroelectric power stations like Kainji and Jebba. However, these hydro sources are insufficient to meet the total national demand, especially during the festive season when electricity consumption traditionally peaks. NISO has warned that it is closely monitoring system frequency and voltage profiles to maintain at least a minimum level of stability, but the overall outlook for the holiday remains precarious.
The timing of this energy crisis is particularly damaging for the national economy, as small businesses and households are forced to rely on expensive alternative power sources like petrol and diesel generators. Despite the government’s attempts to inject liquidity into the sector through the National Economic Council, the lack of immediate improvement on the grid suggests a deep-seated disconnect between policy pronouncements and the operational reality of gas suppliers.
As the government and stakeholders work to repair the vandalized pipelines and resolve the payment impasse, the prospect of a “Yuletide in darkness” remains a significant concern for the public. The Ministry of Power has yet to provide a definitive timeline for the restoration of normal service, leaving Nigerians to navigate the holiday season with the uncertainty of a failing power supply.