Nigeria’s Power Sector Faces Uncertainty Despite 34% Surge in Electricity Generation

Nigeria’s power sector is facing an existential crisis, despite a 34 percent increase in power generation in 2024.

Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, revealed during a budget defence session with the Senate Committee on Power on Monday.

According to him, the country’s power generation rose from 4,100 megawatts (MW) in 2023 to 5,528 MW by the end of 2024.

Persecondnews reports that however, this progress is being undermined by the national grid’s frequent collapses, which occurred 11 times in 2024.

Adelabu attributed the increase in power generation to the addition of a new hydroelectric power dam at Zungeru, and the improvement in generation by existing power plants.

He said: “I can tell you authoritatively that by the end of 2024, we had a peak generation of 5,528 MW of power from 4,100 MW of plants.

“And the reason for this is not far-fetched. We know that we added a new hydroelectric power dam, Zungeru, of 700 MW.

“Also there was a tremendous increase in the generation by other existing power generating companies, mainly hydro and thermal plants.”

He acknowledged that the initial target of 6,000 MW was not met due to unforeseen challenges, including grid disturbances.

The minister also expressed concerns about the metering gap in the country, with approximately six million electricity customers metered, while over seven million remain unmetered.

To address this issue, the ministry has secured a N700 billion fund to procure meters, with the goal of procuring at least two million meters annually over the next five years.

Despite these efforts, the power sector remains plagued by challenges, including the failure to fix the Shiroro-Kaduna-Mando line, which has placed undue pressure on the grid, he said.

Adelabu blamed the persistent insecurity in the region for the government’s inability to repair the power transmission line.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, Sen. Eyinnaya Abaribe, queried the government’s continuous funding of power distribution companies (DisCos), highlighting the need for a more sustainable solution to the sector’s challenges.