National Grid in peril as PENGASSAN-Dangote row hits gas supply

By Paul Dada

The ongoing industrial row between the Dangote Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has led to a significant shortfall in gas supply.

This is according to the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) which says this has led to the  slashing  off of  the country’s power generation by more than 1,100 megawatts.

NISO is a critical division within the country’s power sector, responsible for managing and coordinating the operations of the national electricity grid.

According to a statement released by  NISO on Tuesday,  total generation on the National Grid dropped sharply from over 4,300MW in the early hours of Sunday, 28 September 2025, to just 3,200MW at its lowest point, raising serious concerns of a potential nationwide blackout.

“These disruptions triggered widespread gas shortages, reducing available generation and putting immense pressure on the grid,” the statement said.

NISO said to stabilise the grid, it swiftly deployed emergency interventions, including ramping up output from Nigeria’s major hydropower stations, which contributed over 400MW to offset the shortfall from gas-fired plants.

According to the Operator, it took more measures which included: Real-time load adjustments to match generation with demand, frequency and voltage control to maintain system integrity, and selective load shedding, applied as a last resort to avoid a total system collapse.

“These timely actions enabled the NISO National Control Centre (NCC) to minimise the impact of the labour-induced gas shortages and preserve power supply to critical infrastructure,” the statement said.

Despite the crisis, NISO reaffirmed its commitment to “proactive grid management and operational excellence,” pledging to uphold secure, stable electricity delivery across the country.

The power supply crisis follows a nationwide strike declared by PENGASSAN in protest over the reported dismissal of over 800 workers at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

The union ordered all members across companies, institutions, and agencies to withdraw services from 12:01 a.m. on Monday, 29 September, with field workers instructed to begin a round-the-clock prayer vigil starting Sunday morning.

The fallout has effectively paralysed operations in key oil and gas institutions, severely impacting gas distribution and regulatory oversight across the sector.

Attempts by the Federal Government to broker peace on Monday ended in a deadlock, with no resolution reached after extended dialogue sessions.