Headlines
Gas Producers Cut Supply to Gencos over N2.7tn Debt
Wholesale gas-producing companies have abruptly stopped the supply of natural gas to power generation companies for electricity production over the non-payment of debts accrued from previous supplies, fresh findings by The PUNCH have shown.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Power Generation Companies, Dr Joy Ogaji, disclosed the latest development in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH on Wednesday, stressing that the gas-producing companies have formally notified all GenCos of the suspension of natural gas supply.
The gas supply was abruptly halted after the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority reportedly instructed gas producers to suspend the delivery of natural gas to indebted GenCos until further notice, citing the escalating debts.
The situation has led to a nationwide electricity blackout, severely impacting power generation across the country.
Currently, over 70 per cent of Nigeria’s power is produced by gas-fired power plants.
Earlier this year, Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, disclosed that the Federal Government would start offsetting part of the debts it owes power generating companies and gas suppliers from April this year.
The Minister, while on a working visit to Egbin Power Plc in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State, said he would liaise with the Central Bank of Nigeria to prioritise foreign exchange allocation to the power sector, saying this would boost the ability to ramp up capacity in terms of generating output.
“The Federal Government is now prioritising paying down on the outstanding debts, and I have assured the board and management that effective from April, we will start paying down on debts, as a form of incentive to continue to have them in operation,” he stated.
While the government has in the past few months paid N205bn of the debt owed to the GenCos, an ongoing disagreement between the NMDPRA and gas producers on who should collect the 0.5 per cent wholesale price levy imposed on petroleum products by the Petroleum Industry Act made the suppliers demand the payment of monies owed.
Speaking during the interview, APGC CEO Dr Ogaji stated that all relevant authorities, including the presidency, have been notified of the current situation and are awaiting the necessary interventions.
She added that debt, which hovered around N2tn earlier this year, has increased to N2.7tn.
She said, “It is no longer a matter of NMDPRA giving a directive. They have already stopped the supply of gas to power-generating companies.
“They (gas suppliers) have halted the supply. They have already informed our gencos that they are not going to be supplying gas anymore until what is outstanding is settled and it didn’t happen today.
“We have told the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, they are already aware of the situation. There is nobody who would say they are not aware; the minister is aware, and the presidency is aware.
“The total debt has now increased to over N2.7tn and you know that 70 per cent of thermal Gencos invoice is gas.
“They have been paying a small amount. So, when they pay us nine per cent, we just calculate nine per cent of our gas invoice and send it to the gas supplier because that is the only way to survive. We are all sharing in the poverty that NBET is giving us.”
The halt in supply has disrupted the energy sector, leading to growing concerns about energy shortages and operational instability nationwide.
Already on Wednesday, Nigerians were plunged into darkness following another collapse of the national power grid.
This is the 12th time the grid would collapse in the year.
Our correspondent reports that the grid went off at about 1:36 pm on Wednesday afternoon.
It was observed that power generation was 0.00 megawatts as of 2 pm.
Source: The Punch
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Biodun Oyebanji, winner of the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election.
Oyebanji secured a landslide victory, polling 319,224 votes to defeat his closest challenger, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dr. Wole Oluyede, who garnered 40,543 votes. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Dare Bejide, came a distant third with 12,872 votes.
The election, held across all 16 local government areas of the state, was overshadowed by reports of irregularities and widespread allegations of vote buying, drawing strong condemnation from observers.
The official results were announced on Sunday morning by the Chief Returning Officer, Professor Adenike Oladiji, who declared Oyebanji duly elected after meeting the constitutional requirements.
In her declaration, Professor Oladiji stated: “I, Professor Adenike Oladiji, hereby certify that I am the Returning Officer for the Ekiti State Governorship Election held on June 20, 2026, and that the election was conducted in compliance with the provisions of the law. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress, having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of valid votes cast, is hereby declared the winner and returned elected.”
Source: Reuters
Arise Television anchor, Rufai Oseni, has alleged that there may be attempts to prevent key opposition figures, including Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, from appearing on the ballot for the 2027 general elections.
Oseni’s remark followed a Federal High Court judgment ordering the de-registration of some political parties.
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party (AP), Action Peoples’ Party (APP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), and Action Alliance Party (AAP) over alleged constitutional breaches.
The judgment arose from a lawsuit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL), which argued that the affected parties failed to meet constitutional and statutory electoral performance requirements necessary for continued recognition as political parties.
Justice Lifu subsequently barred INEC from recognising the affected parties, accepting nominations from them or permitting them to participate in activities related to the 2027 general elections.
The ruling, if upheld, could affect the political ambitions of several politicians, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is the ADC presidential flag-bearer, and Osun State governor Ademola Adeleke, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party.
But speaking on Arise TV’s Morning Show on Tuesday, Oseni described the court ruling as a “test” of public reaction, warning that more actions could follow ahead of the next general election.
According to him, opposition parties such as the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, should be cautious, claiming that efforts could be made to stop major figures from participating in the election.
Oseni argued that the judgment was part of a broader process aimed at shaping the political landscape ahead of 2027.
He maintained that the ruling came despite some of the affected parties having recorded electoral victories in recent elections.
He warned that Nigerians must remain vigilant to safeguard the country’s democracy, stressing the need for judicial reforms alongside efforts to tackle insecurity.
Oseni said: “NDC, ADC should be careful because there will be attempt, and this is me predicting now, to ensure that Obi, Atiku and other big contenders are not on the ballot.
“This that you saw yesterday is just a test. This is not the real place where the whole thing is going. This is me predicting now.
“You know before you have a show you test the microphone. They want to see the reactions of Nigerians. More is still coming.
“You can see how they carry a judgement when ADC won two House of Representatives seats in Kogi, one Kogi House of Assembly seat, APP one chairmanship seat in Jigawa, Zenith Labour party won several seats in Abia, but they still went ahead and issued judgement for deregistration after the Court of Appeal, a higher court, said it should stay on that.
“If we want to deal with this judicial rascality, can I tell you something? The judge that gave this judgment, nothing will happen to him. Nothing on this earth. They are just coming.
“And who is leading this group? Gbajabiamila. Have you forgotten what Gbajabiamila said on Hon Ajibade’s birthday? So they are just coming. This one is just a test. The next one they will do is the NDC.
“With the way they’re going, if Nigerians don’t shine their eyes when they will finally have this election, you will not have the major contenders in the ballot. This thing they have just done is to test reactions from Nigerians.
“I saw this thing coming. You know we are going into an election in which Atiku Abubakar is the only major candidate from the North. It’s not like the last one you have Kwankwaso that can split the Kano votes. And you have Peter Obi and general consensus that a lot of people are in abject penury, insecurity is raging hard.
“This is the beginning of many things. They are just testing the microphone. It’s engineered. More is coming. Nigerians, it is you that will save your democracy. Judicial reforms have become so important as insecurity in Nigeria.”
