- Minister Adebayo Adelabu reports that over 40% of Nigerians now enjoy more than 20 hours of electricity daily, with power generation exceeding 5,500 megawatts.
- The government plans to install 10 million meters in five years to address the significant metering gap affecting millions of customers.
Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu announced that over 40% of Nigerians now enjoy more than 20 hours of electricity daily, highlighting this achievement in a statement on Sunday that reviewed the Ministry’s activities over the past year. Adelabu emphasised that these improvements are part of the government’s commitment to ensuring stable electricity for households and industries nationwide.
Thanks to several initiatives undertaken by the Ministry, power generation has reached 5,500 megawatts. Adelabu noted that upon his resumption, the installed generation capacity was 13,000 megawatts, but only about 4,000 megawatts were being produced, transmitted, and distributed. He described this as unacceptable, given Nigeria’s population and economic activity.
“At that time, there was an erratic power supply, with most customers unable to receive 12-15 hours of electricity daily, and renewable energy adoption was minimal,” he stated. Since then, significant progress has been made; the installed capacity has increased to over 14,000 megawatts due to the commissioning of the Zungeru hydroelectric power plant and enhancements at existing facilities.
Adelabu attributed these successes to infrastructural upgrades, the Presidential Power Initiative, and the recent signing of the Electricity Act in June 2023, which decentralises the power sector and allows for more excellent private and state participation in electricity generation, transmission, and distribution.
Despite these advancements, Adelabu acknowledged ongoing challenges, particularly a substantial metering gap. He announced the Presidential Metering Initiative, which aims to install 10 million meters over the next five years to address this issue. “Out of nearly 13 million customers, over 7 million are still without meters and rely on estimated billing. This must change,” he stressed.
With funding secured, the initiative, supported by the World Bank and the African Development Bank, is expected to enhance billing transparency and efficiency. Adelabu reaffirmed the Ministry of Power’s dedication to improving Nigeria’s electricity supply further.