… three power plants — Alaoji 1, Ibom, Rivers 1 — record zero supply in August

Oredola Adeola

With just four months left until the December 31, 2025, deadline set by the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, for the country to achieve 6,000MW of generation and transmission, the latest figures suggest the target remains uncertain.

Data from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) show that out of 28 grid-connected power plants with a combined installed capacity of 13,625 megawatts (MW), an average of 5,517MW was available in August 2025, slightly down from 5,577MW recorded in July.

Meanwhile, out of the 28 grid connected plants, three — Alaoji 1 (500MW), Ibom Power (190MW), and Rivers 1 (180MW) — failed to supply any electricity to the grid during the review period.

This is according to data obtained by Advisors Reports from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (NERC) Power Plants Operational Performance Factsheet.

The available 5,517MW translates to a Plant Availability Factor (PAF) of 40 percent for grid-connected plants, representing the capacity actually dispatched onto the grid.

On the other hand, plant utilisation and output data showed that average hourly generation in August stood at 4,106MWh/h, representing about 74 percent of available capacity.

This was lower than the 4,340MWh/h recorded in July, when utilisation was at 78 percent.

During the period under review, the top ten largest energy producers accounted for 79 percent of the total electricity generated in the month, according to NERC data.

Egbin 1 led the pack with an output of 690MW out of its 1,320MW installed capacity, achieving a load factor of 640MWh/h, which translates to 93 percent utilisation.

It was followed by Delta 1, which generated 507MW or 56 percent of its 900MW installed capacity, translating to a load factor of 429MWh/h (85 percent).

Kainji supplied 397MW out of its 760MW capacity, representing 52 percent output, but with a load factor of 374MWh/h (94 percent).

Zungeru 1, with an installed capacity of 700MW, generated 681MW (97 percent), though its load factor stood at 292MWh/h (43 percent).

Afam 2 supplied 203MW to the grid, representing 31 percent of its 650MW installed capacity, yet recorded a strong load factor of 196MWh/h (97 percent).

Shiroro generated 435MW out of 600MW capacity, about 73 percent, with a load factor of 259MWh/h (60 percent).

Similarly, Jebba 1 supplied 472MW from a capacity of 578MW (82 percent), recording a load factor of 344MWh/h (73 percent).

Okpai 1 delivered 319MW out of 480MW (66 percent), achieving a load factor of 249MWh/h (78 percent).

Ihovbor 2 supplied 332MW of its 461MW capacity, translating to 72 percent output and a load factor of 302MWh/h (91 percent).

Geregu 1, with an installed capacity of 435MW, generated 235MW (54 percent) and recorded a load factor of 167MWh/h (71 percent).

The GenCos had earlier missed the December 31, 2024, deadline set by the Minister to generate 6,000MW, and uncertainty remains over whether this could repeat, despite Adelabu’s confidence that Nigeria is on course to deliver at least 8,000MW before the end of President Tinubu’s first term in 2027.

Notably, under Tinubu’s administration, generation capacity has already increased by 1,700MW in two years, rising from 4,100MW in Q3 2023.