On Wednesday, electricity generation on Nigeria’s national grid fell to 3,840 megawatts (MW), down from more than 4,500 MW, after inadequate gas supplies to thermal power plants and reduced water inflows into hydroelectric reservoirs, data from the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) showed.
Of the 3,840 MW generated, only 2,988 MW was allocated to the country’s Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos). The allocation to each DisCo was as follows:
- Abuja – 559 MW
- Benin – 233 MW
- Eko – 396 MW
- Enugu – 223 MW
- Ibadan – 345 MW
- Ikeja – 389 MW
- Jos – 146 MW
- Kaduna – 167 MW
- Kano – 173 MW
- Port Harcourt – 283 MW
- Yola – 74 MW
NISO attributed the decline to “the limited availability of gas” that constrained thermal generating stations and “reduced water inflows into reservoirs” that lowered hydroelectric output. The operator warned that the shortfall had cut electricity allocations to DisCos, leading to fewer supply hours and heightened load‑shedding across the distribution networks.
Consumers interviewed by Vanguard said the worsening supply forced many to rely on private generators. One anonymous consumer remarked, “Power supply has gone from bad to worse in recent times. We have been depending on our generators to power our homes and businesses. We were told that the decentralisation of powers to the states would improve electricity supply, leading to increased economic and other activities, but we are yet to witness such a boost.”
“Darkness arising from persistent electricity failures in Nigeria is not fundamentally a consequence of individual ineptitude; it is a manifestation of institutional failure,” said petroleum economist Prof. Wumi Iledare. “Removing or dismissing an individual may provide a convenient response to public frustration, but it does not necessarily address the structural, regulatory, financial and governance deficiencies that perpetuate the crisis.”
Prof. Iledare added, “Decentralisation is not a solution by itself. It must not become a mere transfer of inefficiency from the federal to the subnational level. Its success will depend on institutional capacity, effective regulation, investment discipline and clearly defined accountability frameworks.” He stressed that the true test of electricity decentralisation will be measurable improvements in power availability, affordability, reliability and accessibility.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
