Nigeria records improvement in electricity – Minister

Adelabu explained that three full collapses in electricity were due to power generation issues, including a reduction in solar energy output and challenges with gas infrastructure. The remaining two were caused by acts of vandalism targeting critical transmission lines. 

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has credited the improvement in Nigeria’s electricity supply to the contributions of various power generation companies across the country.

He made this known during the 2025 budget defence session before the Senate Committee on Power in Abuja.

According to Adelabu, energy access in Nigeria increased by 5% in 2024, moving from 59% at the end of 2023 to 64% by the close of 2024. This progress, he said, was driven by grid expansion efforts and renewable energy projects.

Highlighting growth in power generation, the minister stated that Nigeria’s generation capacity rose by 30% in 2024. The administration inherited an average of 4,100 megawatts (MW) in 2023, which peaked at 5,528 MW by the end of 2024.

Adelabu attributed the increased capacity to the commissioning of the 700 MW Zungeru hydroelectric power dam and the improved performance of other hydro and thermal plants, such as Kainji, Shiroro, and Dadinkowa. Contributions from Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) plants like Olorunsogo, Omotosho, and Sapele were also significant.

Despite these gains, the minister acknowledged that the government could not meet its target of 6,000 MW due to grid-related challenges. Nigeria experienced eight grid collapses in 2024—five full collapses and three partial ones.

The minister pointed out that vandalized transmission lines, such as the Kaduna-Shiroro-Mando line and the Ogwuachukwu-Bauchi-Makurdi line, led to prolonged blackouts in the northern region. “Although one line was restored, the Kaduna-Shiroro-Mando line remains unfixed due to prevailing insecurity in the area,” he said.

Adelabu reiterated the government’s commitment to addressing these challenges, expanding grid infrastructure, and boosting energy access in the coming year.