Nigeria Achieves Three-Year High in Power Generation, Minister of Power Announces 5,105 Megawatts Milestone
2 min read
In a significant stride for Nigeria’s power sector, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has announced that the country achieved a generation of 5,105 megawatts of electricity on July 27, 2024. This marks the highest output in three years.
Adelabu made the announcement during the inaugural meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Power Sector Working Group in Abuja on Wednesday. He highlighted recent achievements and set ambitious future goals for the sector.
“Just a few days ago, on July 27, we successfully generated and transmitted 5,105MW of power, the highest in the last three years. This is an improvement from the previous capacity of around 4,000MW or below,” Adelabu stated. “Our target is to achieve a landmark generation and transmission of 6,000MW by December.”
The meeting underscored the crucial role of inter-ministerial collaboration in harnessing the economic potential of Nigeria’s power sector. Government ministers emphasised the sector’s importance in driving economic growth and industrialisation, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s vision.
Adelabu stressed the need for cooperation across various ministries to achieve these objectives. “Power is not something that should be left alone to the Ministry of Power and its agencies. There are many supportive ministries without which we cannot achieve our mandate,” he said. He highlighted ongoing collaborations with the Ministries of Environment, Water Resources and Sanitation, Budget and Planning, and Petroleum Resources, particularly with the Minister of State (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, echoed Adelabu’s sentiments. “The Ministry of Water Resources and the Ministry of Power are like brothers and sisters. We will do everything possible to work together to achieve the renewable energy agenda of the President in making life better for Nigerians,” Utsev affirmed.
Adelabu also addressed the necessity of sustainable energy solutions, emphasising the role of renewable energy sources. “We are focusing on generating power in a sustainable and environment-friendly manner. This is why we talk about renewables, through solar, wind, and small dams,” he said.
Representing the Minister of Environment, Minister of State Iziaq Salako stressed the environmental impact of power generation and the importance of managing the associated waste. “As we go ahead to develop our power sector, we are also developing a process to manage the waste that will come out,” Salako noted.
Adelabu outlined the working group’s terms of reference, which include enhancing power sector liquidity and financing, providing guidance in the governance structure of electricity distribution companies, and focusing on the energy transition programme to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060.
These collaborative efforts aim not only to boost power generation and distribution but also to ensure that the benefits are felt by households, businesses, and industries across the country.
About The Author
