The Federal Government says electricity generation has recorded a modest increase over the past two weeks, rising from 3,951 megawatts (MW) on March 28 to over 4,300MW by April 10.
Gatekeepers News reports that in a statement, Bolaji Tunji, spokesperson to the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, said the improvement reflects ongoing efforts to stabilise electricity supply across the country.
Tunji noted that the development aligns with Adelabu’s earlier assurance that power supply would improve within two weeks following a power sector working group meeting.
“Data from the period under review show a consistent upward trend in generation, supported by improved gas availability and better coordination among stakeholders,” he said.
Gas Supply Drives Improvement
According to the statement, the rise in generation is closely tied to increased gas supply to thermal power plants, which grew from about 605 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) to over 704 mmscfd within the period.
Mechanical availability also improved, peaking at over 7,796MW in early April, while operational availability rose from about 4,208MW to more than 4,694MW.
“Despite minor fluctuations recorded on some days, the overall trajectory points to a gradual recovery in the power sector,” Tunji added.
He emphasised that the strong link between gas supply and electricity output highlights the need for sustained reforms in Nigeria’s gas-to-power value chain.
To consolidate the gains, the minister recently inaugurated a monitoring committee to address bottlenecks in gas delivery and improve coordination between gas producers and power generation companies.
“The committee is expected to… ultimately guarantee more stable electricity supply,” Tunji said, adding that the government remains committed to sustained improvements.
“We are not there yet, but we will continue to ensure measurable improvements.”
Adelabu Charges NEMSA on Revenue, Metering
Meanwhile, Adelabu has tasked the Nigeria Electricity Management Services Agency to boost its internally generated revenue and reduce dependence on government funding.
The minister gave the directive during a meeting with the agency’s Managing Director, Olusegun Adesayo, and board chairman, Ikechi Nwosu.
He urged the agency to strengthen its operational capacity, particularly by expanding meter testing centres across the country.
“We should plan towards having meter testing centres in each of the geopolitical zones. Having the right tools is critical to delivering on your mandate,” Adelabu said.
He also highlighted the need to tackle manpower shortages, especially among meter installers, and called for collaboration with the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria to train more personnel.
“We need to ensure more installers are trained to accelerate efforts to bridge the metering gap,” he said.
“You may not fix everything immediately, but understanding the problems and how to resolve them is key.”
Adelabu expressed confidence in the agency’s leadership and disclosed that its full board would be inaugurated soon, urging a comprehensive assessment of operational challenges.
