FG Threatens to Cut Off Power Firms from National Grid Over Rule Breach

|By Adejumo Adekunle

The Federal Government has warned power generation companies (GenCos) that they risk disconnection from the national grid if they continue to flout free government control (FGC) directives.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) issued the warning in a new regulatory order, No. NERC/2025/094, signed in August by Vice-Chairman Musiliu Oseni and Commissioner for Legal, Licensing and Compliance, Dafe Akpeneye. The directive officially took effect on September 1, 2025.

According to NERC, any generating unit that refuses to comply for 90 straight days faces outright disconnection. The commission explained that FGC enables turbine governors to automatically adjust electricity output in line with frequency fluctuations, a safeguard against nationwide grid collapse.

“Section 12.6.2 of the Grid Code for the Nigerian Electricity Transmission System requires all generating units to be fitted with fast-acting FGC capable of regulating turbine speed and output during frequency deviations,” the order stated.

The warning signals growing government frustration with GenCos’ resistance to regulatory compliance, amid repeated threats of grid instability across the country.