An explosion has shattered a major gas pipeline in Nigeria today, days after it was repaired from a fire that has caused it to shut down earlier this month.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is claiming that the Escarvos-Lagos Pipeline was ruptured by an explosion along Egbokodo-Omadino in the Warri region of Delta state.
The hit pipeline delivers gas to plants which supply one-sixth of the country’s power, as well as supplying the West Africa Pipeline system.
The NNPC were unable to confirm whether gas distribution had been affected, but said that they would be stepping up gas supplies from other sources.
While the cause of the explosion is as yet unknown, Nigeria commonly has to deal with blackouts.
The country’s beleaguered power-grid system is often held responsible for holding back what is Africa’s largest economy.
Earlier in the month, the fire at the pipeline interrupted gas supplies to companies generating more than 3,000 megawatts and caused a shutdown of the pipeline supplying gas to the 1,320-megawatt Egbin power plant, the nation’s biggest, and five others.