FG Sets 8,500MW Power Supply Target for December 2026 After Surpassing 6,000MW

• The Nigerian government has set a new target for NESI to improve power generation and supply within 18 months
• This new target comes three months after Nigeria's power sector celebrated a landmark achievement of hitting 6,000MW in power generation
• The new target gives the stakeholders more responsibilities ahead as they strive to grow power generation and supply by 50%

Ruth Okwumbu-Imafidon, a journalist with Legit.ng, has over a decade of experience in business reporting across digital and mainstream media.

On March 4, 2025, Nigeria finally surpassed the 6,000MW power generation target set by the federal government.

Even though this came three months after the set deadline of December 2024, it was celebrated as a landmark achievement for the power sector.

Power supply, however, remains below the 6,000MW mark as the transmission companies still report power lost during the distribution.

Three months after the landmark achievement, the federal government has set another ambitious target to increase electricity output and supply from the national grid from 5,500MW to 8,500MW.

This target is expected to be achieved by the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) within 12 to 18 months, with December 2026 as the next deadline.

The Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, Ayodeji Gbeleyi, unveiled this target on Wednesday while addressing a Senior Leadership Team Retreat for top management members of the newly established Nigerian Independent System Operator.

Speaking at the retreat in Abuja, he charged the leaders to improve grid management, system reliability, and operational efficiency, The Punch reports.

Gbeleyi said:

“The National Broadcast of Electricity today said generation revolves around 5500MW. I do hope most sincerely that when we come back here 12 months from now, that generation capacity, based on the efficiency of the transmission grid, will be somewhere around 7500 to 8,500MW. We must move from where we are within the next 12 months.”

He remarked that even though electricity generation capacity is over 14,000MW, the NESI currently delivers about 5,500MW, indicating that a lot needs to be done to improve transmission and meet the demands of individual and industrial consumers.

NESI calls for private investment

Responding to the BPE boss, the Managing Director of NISO, Abdu Mohammed, noted that the 8,500MW target is realizable as it only amounts to a 50% increase from the current capacity.

He called for coordination and focus to attract the right private investors in the sector.

Meanwhile, Discos continue to record higher revenue collection despite poor power supply.

NERC mentions when the SCADA will be ready

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) chairman, Engr. Sanusi Garba noted in his remarks that the target and deadline are achievable.

Garba noted that the government had awarded new contracts for the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) across the nation, and they would be ready by the end of 2026.

Recall that Minister for Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has confirmed plans to review tariffs for Band B and Band C customers.

More power expected as 7 companies leave National Grid

In related news, Nigerian electricity consumers will be getting more power as 7 firms have secured permits and licenses to leave the national grid and generate power.

Legit.ng reported that two of the companies are licensed to generate power and sell to Nigerians within their locations.

The other five are only allowed to generate their power, but not to sell to consumers.

Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng