Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Nigeria’s electricity sector witnessed a notable upswing in power generation in the first quarter of 2025, as total generation hit 10,304.47GWh, an increase of 1,014.52GWh or 10.92% from the previous quarter.
The spike, captured in the latest report released by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, is attributed to enhanced available generation capacity and increased energy offtake by grid-connected customers.
The report noted a rise in average hourly generation from 4,207.41MWh/h in Q4 2024 to 4,770.59MWh/h in Q1 2025, reflecting a growth of 563.18MWh/h or 13.39%. This indicates stronger grid performance and growing demand for electricity.
According to NERC, the improvement is underpinned by higher operational performance across twenty-eight grid-connected power plants, including hydro, steam, and gas-fired plants. Of these, 15 plants recorded higher available capacity compared to the previous quarter.
The average available generation capacity grew from 5,296.89MW in Q4 2024 to 5,366.88MW in Q1 2025, marking a 1.32% increase. This improvement reflects progress in plant availability and maintenance schedules.
The report also sheds light on a generation mix driven by 19 Open Cycle Gas Turbine, OCGT, plants and two Combined Cycle Gas Turbine, CCGT facilities, alongside five hydro and two steam plants. These resources remain central to Nigeria’s energy mix as it strives for diversification and reliability.
However, the system’s frequency performance remained volatile, NERC disclosed that the grid’s daily frequency levels frequently breached the normal operating band of 49.75Hz – 50.25Hz, though they stayed within stress limits.
Voltage fluctuations also persisted outside acceptable boundaries, however, the national grid maintained relative stability, with NERC reaffirming its commitment to pressuring the System Operator to improve efficiency.
According to NERC, sustained investments in infrastructure and load dispatch optimization are also being pursued.
Electricity access in Nigeria continues to trail demand, with frequent outages and poor service quality; improvements in generation must be matched by distribution upgrades to avoid losses.
