On October 6, 2024, Nigeria’s peak electricity generation dropped to 4,998.20 megawatts, down from 5,234.70 MW recorded the previous Tuesday, amid escalating energy costs.
This information comes from the latest system performance data released by the National Control Centre, indicating a decrease of 236.5 MW in the country’s electricity output.
This decline follows a recent announcement by the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, who had celebrated a peak generation of 5,105 megawatts in August 2024. He noted that 40 percent of Nigeria’s electricity consumers benefit from 20 hours of uninterrupted power supply.
However, many electricity consumers in Nigeria have criticized Adelabu’s claims, citing ongoing issues with reliable power supply. Despite having a population of approximately 250 million, Nigeria continues to struggle with electricity generation levels between 4,990 and 5,000 MW, even after years of privatization and amid high energy costs.
It is worth noting that Nigeria’s electricity distribution companies recently increased the electricity tariff to N209.5 per kilowatt-hour, following a significant 240 percent hike approved by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission on April 3, 2024.
Despite these increases, Adelabu maintains that electricity tariffs in Nigeria remain the lowest among African nations.
