Lucky Obukohwo Reporting
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has distanced itself from the reports that it directed wholesale gas suppliers to halt supply to Generation Companies (GenCos) over the N2 trillion indebtedness.
Truth Live News Media reports that Nigerians were plunged into darkness on Wednesday when the national grid collapsed for the 12th time in 2024, with generation companies blaming the development on the stoppage of gas supply.
Putting the record straight on Wednesday, NMDPRA said that it was not responsible for the blackout.
“It has absolutely no bearing on the information shared at a recent stakeholders’ engagement held in Lagos between the Authority, the OPTS, IPPG, and other stakeholders in the oil and gas industry.
“The purpose of the engagement was to sensitise stakeholders on the requirements, opportunities, and benefits associated with the implementation of the wholesale supply license as provided by sections 142 and 197 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
“It was a follow-up to an earlier stakeholder engagement held at the NMDPRA corporate headquarters in Abuja on November 27, 2024.
“The Authority wishes to reassure all our stakeholders and indeed the general public that at no time was the false statement made at that event and anywhere else, and they are advised to completely disregard the publication as every effort is being made to ensure that the supply and distribution of natural gas and petroleum products to end users is seamless and unabated as we head into the festive season and indeed all through the coming year 2025,” it stated.
In contrast to the above statement, Dr Joy Ogaji, the Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Power Generation Companies, disclosed that gas supply to GenCos had been halted.
She said that gas-producing companies were formally notified of the suspension of natural gas supply.
Ogaji revealed that the suspension was behind Wednesday’s power outage as 70 percent of Nigeria’s power is produced by gas-fired power plants.
“They (gas suppliers) have halted the supply. The total debt has now increased to over N2.7tn, and you know that 70 per cent of thermal Gencos invoices are gas,” she stated.
However power has been restored since on Wednesday night in parts of Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
However, residents of Lagos were thrown into darkness yet again when the power supply was interrupted before Thursday morning.