Accra, Ghana — The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) have announced a three-week power outage due to a reduction in gas supply from Nigeria. This disruption is attributed to ongoing maintenance work by a Nigerian gas supplier.

In a statement released on Thursday, the companies detailed the situation: “The West Africa Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo) has explained in a statement that the reduction in gas supply is due to maintenance works being undertaken by a gas supplier in Nigeria and is projected to last three weeks.”

The statement also highlighted the impact on Ghana’s power generation capacity: “The maintenance has caused a reduction in the overall power generation capacity in Ghana, which could result in load management throughout the work.”

In response, GRIDCo and ECG assured the public that they are working closely with other stakeholders in the power value chain to optimize available resources and mitigate the impact on consumers. The companies are exploring all possible measures to minimize disruptions and maintain stability in the power supply.

WAPCo, the entity responsible for transporting natural gas from Nigeria to several West African countries, including Ghana, Togo, and Benin, confirmed the reduction in gas volumes.

The reduction is a direct result of a Nigerian producer shutting down its facility for a three-week maintenance period.

In their statement, WAPCo clarified the situation: “One of the producers of the natural gas WAPCo transports from Nigeria has shut down its facility for a three-week maintenance, resulting in a decrease available to transport for customers in Togo, Benin, and Ghana.”

They added, “The current situation is entirely out of WAPCo’s control.”

This development comes at a time when Ghana has increasingly relied on gas as a significant energy source for electricity generation. As one of the world’s largest producers of gold and cocoa, a stable energy supply is critical to Ghana’s economy and industrial activities.

The maintenance work and subsequent power outage highlight the region’s interconnected energy dependencies and the broader implications of supply disruptions.

As the situation unfolds, the collaboration between ECG, GRIDCo, and other stakeholders will be crucial in managing the impact on consumers and ensuring a swift return to normalcy.