Power Crisis Looms: National Grid Output Crashes As PENGASSAN Strike Chokes Gas Supply, Talks With Dangote End In Deadlock

Nigeria is teetering on the brink of a nationwide blackout as the national grid output plunged to 3,200 megawatts (MW) on Tuesday, following a crippling disruption of gas supply caused by the ongoing strike of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) confirmed that the strike, which has paralyzed gas delivery to several power plants, slashed generation from over 4,300MW to a dangerous low.

In a desperate bid to stabilise the grid and avert total collapse, NISO said it activated contingency measures, including ramping up hydroelectric generation, which injected an additional 400MW into the system.

> “We have initiated real-time load adjustments to balance available generation with system demand and to prevent system frequency collapse,” the agency stated.

According to NISO, selective load shedding has already been implemented in some parts of the country to safeguard system integrity and ensure uninterrupted power to critical sectors such as hospitals, airports, and security installations.

Despite these interventions, the operator warned that the situation remains fragile, even as it pledged to continue deploying “best-in-class grid management” to guarantee stability.

The power crisis comes against the backdrop of a bitter face-off between Dangote Refinery and PENGASSAN, which triggered the industrial action.

At the heart of the dispute are allegations that the refinery engaged in the mass transfer and sack of union members while replacing some Nigerian staff with foreign nationals — a claim the company has strongly denied.

Efforts by the Federal Government to mediate fell apart late Monday night after a high-stakes meeting in Abuja ended in deadlock.

The meeting, chaired by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammad Dingyadi, dragged from 3:30 p.m. until shortly after midnight, with no resolution in sight. PENGASSAN was led by its president, Festus Osifo, alongside the General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nuhu Toro, while senior Dangote Refinery executives stood in for management.

Talks are now expected to reconvene at 2 p.m. today (Tuesday, September 30), as the standoff continues to fuel fears of deepening electricity shortages nationwide.

With the grid already weakened and industries dependent on stable electricity, analysts warn that prolonged disruptions could have grave economic and social consequences, worsening inflation and paralyzing key sectors.

As Nigerians brace for potential blackouts, all eyes are now on Abuja, where government mediators, union leaders, and Dangote Refinery representatives are set to reconvene in what many believe could be a make-or-break negotiation