On Friday, Nigeria’s electricity grid experienced a significant setback, with generation decreasing from 3,366.88 MW at 1 PM to 1,517.5 MW by 2 PM and further down to 1,417.85 MW by 3 PM. Data from the National Independent System Operator (NISO) indicated a reduction in the number of operational power plants from 22 to 13 during the same period. This outage marks the second major decline in power supply from the grid this year.
Just two days prior, the Federal Government had hailed a peak electricity generation of over 5,800 MW, though experts deemed this figure misleading due to its brief duration. Minister of Power Chief Adebayo Adelabu stated that tariff regularization could increase generation capacity to around 7,000 MW. His Special Adviser on Strategic Communication, Bolaji Tunji, emphasized the critical role that regularizing tariffs will play in unlocking the sector’s potential and enhancing power generation and distribution. Adelabu noted that to sustain these improvements, the government must address tariff shortfalls of N1.94 trillion for 2024 and legacy debts of N2 trillion owed to generation companies (GENCOs).
He stressed the importance of continuing tariff reforms to ensure consumers pay for their energy use, which would help achieve a more stable and efficient power sector for all Nigerians.