- The Group Managing Director of Sahara Power Group, Kola Adesina, has said Nigeria’s power sector is entering a more stable and investable phase.
- He also highlighted progress in metering and service delivery, noting that emerging cooperation between regulators and operators would drive value chain optimisation and improve supply reliability.
The Group Managing Director of Sahara Power Group, Kola Adesina, has said Nigeria’s power sector is entering a more stable and investable phase, driven by Federal Government reforms and progress in resolving legacy debts that have long constrained growth across the electricity value chain.
Adesina disclosed that Sahara Power is advancing plans to raise its dispatched generation capacity to between 6,500 MW and 7,000 MW, while also pioneering the launch of a data centre to support expansion, innovation and operational efficiency.
He said the group would invest heavily in gas-fired and renewable energy projects over the next three to five years, with the aim of delivering sustainable, affordable and reliable electricity to households and industries.
Speaking in an interview, Adesina said recent infrastructure and macroeconomic policies under President Bola Tinubu have brought greater clarity and predictability to the sector, helping to address structural bottlenecks that previously undermined investor confidence. He noted that Sahara Power has already repaid $438m, about 73 per cent of its original $600m loan obligation, despite long-standing liquidity challenges in the industry.
According to him, the Federal Government’s legacy debt settlement programme is easing pressure on power companies, gas suppliers and lenders, while creating room for fresh capital inflows. Improved policy coordination, relative exchange rate stability, easing inflation and moderated interest rates, he said, are enabling operators to plan with greater conviction.
Adesina added that closer collaboration among government agencies, regulators, financiers and industry players is laying the foundation for sustained growth and operational stability in Nigeria’s electricity market. He said Sahara Power has aligned its strategic objectives with the administration’s long-term infrastructure agenda, describing it as bold and clear-sighted.
Providing updates on sector opportunities, Adesina said Nigeria is witnessing unprecedented collaboration involving the Federal Government, the power ministry, regulators, the Central Bank of Nigeria, banks, multilateral institutions and other stakeholders. He expressed confidence that this momentum would continue into 2026, translating into greater efficiency, sustainability and improved power supply.
He also highlighted progress in metering and service delivery, noting that emerging cooperation between regulators and operators would drive value chain optimisation and improve supply reliability. He said reforms would include distribution network rehabilitation, deployment of advanced metering infrastructure and robust customer relationship management systems to reduce losses and enhance service delivery.
On technology, Adesina said Sahara’s planned data centre would leverage real-time analytics, predictive maintenance and cybersecurity, working with government and system operators to boost sector efficiency and transparency.
Commenting on power sector loans, he said discussions with the consortium of banks remain positive. The loans, due for full repayment in 2034, are being serviced diligently, supported by a disciplined implementation plan. He added that debts owed to Sahara and its gas suppliers stood at N1.514tn as of March 31, 2025, but ongoing legacy debt payments would facilitate full settlement.
Quoting Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission data, Adesina said over 2.3 million meters have been deployed under the National Mass Metering Programme since 2020, reducing the metering gap and improving revenue assurance.
Sahara Power accounts for about 19 per cent of Nigeria’s total power generation and owns key assets including Egbin Power Plc, First Independent Power Limited and Ikeja Electric.