Electricity distribution companies have publicly apologised to Nigerians for the prolonged and erratic power outages that have plagued households and businesses across the country in recent weeks.

Sunday Oduntan, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), tendered the apology on Monday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.

“I’d like to first of all start by apologising to Nigerians. An apology is needed; it is essential because Nigerians have been taken through this problem over the past few weeks,” Oduntan said.

He acknowledged the hardship caused by the sustained blackouts and criticised a return to the “blame game” among operators in the power sector — a pattern last seen between 2016 and 2019, when DisCos, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), generation companies and gas suppliers routinely pointed fingers at one another instead of solving problems.

Oduntan specifically questioned conflicting explanations from the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) over the causes of the shortfall. While NISO cited low water levels and inadequate gas supply, NNPC maintained that gas was available. He urged greater transparency on whether payment issues were affecting gas deliveries to power plants.

The ANED chief called on the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, to convene all stakeholders to identify the real causes of the shortages and halt the cycle of mutual accusations.

The apology comes amid widespread frustration, with even Band A customers — who are supposed to receive a minimum of 20 hours of electricity daily — reporting inadequate supply. The situation has been made worse by intense dry-season heat.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board(JAMB) on Monday released six important steps prospective candidates should know ahead of the 2027 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

In a video shared on its official platforms on Monday, the board advised candidates to ensure their personal information with the NIMC was correct, obtain a registered phone number and maintain an active email address before beginning their UTME registration.

JAMB also urged prospective candidates to decide on their preferred courses and institutions and ensure they selected the appropriate subject combinations.

The board said the checklist was intended to help candidates stay organised, prepare effectively and avoid common mistakes during the registration and admission process

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has dismissed claims by the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) blaming the nationwide power supply outages on partly to limited gas availability and reduced water inflows to hydroelectric power stations.

In a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, NNPC said that its pipelines remain available to deliver gas to power plants across the country.

The national oil company said its operational records did not indicate any transportation-related constraints within the network operated by its subsidiary, NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company Limited, that could explain the current drop in power generation.

It, however, maintained that gas production had increased by about 10 per cent in 2026 so far, as the company pursued the Federal Government’s gas development and monetisation agenda.