Buhari Fails to Achieve Promised Power Generation Increase

In 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari outlined his "Next Level" agenda, which aimed to build upon the achievements of his first term and address key challenges facing Nigeria. The agenda focused on various sectors and key areas of development, including the economy, security, infrastructure, human capital development, and anti-corruption efforts. Under the energy sector, the Government vowed to add a minimum of 1,000 MW new generation incremental power capacity per annum on the grid to bring to a total of a minimum of 11, 000 MW in his commitment to address the longstanding issue of inadequate power supply in Nigeria and improve access to electricity for both domestic and industrial purposes. 

However, it is worth mentioning that the Nigerian government has been actively working towards improving the power sector and increasing electricity generation capacity during President Buhari's tenure. Several power projects have been initiated, and efforts have been made to attract private-sector investments in the sector.

The Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) Plc, the agency responsible for the bulk purchase and resale of electricity, has been involved in power purchase agreements and contracts with independent power producers to enhance generation capacity. Additionally, the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has implemented various rural electrification projects to expand access to electricity in underserved areas.

Furthermore, efforts were made to improve the efficiency and reliability of power transmission and distribution infrastructure. This involved upgrading and expanding transmission networks, enhancing distribution systems, and addressing bottlenecks in the power supply chain. The government also implemented measures to reduce technical and commercial losses within the power sector.

Additionally, policies were put in place to encourage private sector participation and investment in the power industry. This included creating a conducive business environment, providing incentives for power projects, and streamlining regulatory processes. The government sought to attract both local and foreign investors to contribute to the expansion of power generation capacity in Nigeria.

Over the past few years, The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has provided data on the average available generation capacity during specific quarters. In the second quarter of 2018, the average capacity was 7,654 megawatts (MW). However, in the second quarter of 2019, it decreased to 6,069 MW, and in the second quarter of 2020, it further dropped to 6,359 MW.

Moving on to more recent figures, in the second quarter of 2021, the average capacity was 5,472.10 MW. This indicates a decline compared to the previous year. And in the second quarter of 2022, the available generation capacity decreased even further to 4,508.38 MW.

These numbers clearly demonstrate the rise and fall of the generation power capacity on the grid in Nigeria. It highlights the challenges faced in maintaining a stable generation power capacity. It's worth noting that achieving an annual incremental increase of 1000 MW on the grid has proven to be difficult.

In simple terms, the evidence shows that Nigeria has experienced fluctuations in its power generation capacity over the years. It has been challenging to maintain a consistent and reliable power supply, let alone achieve a significant yearly increase in capacity.

We therefore rate this, promise "Broken”.

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SOURCE:

1. https://nerc.gov.ng/index.php/library/documents/func-startdown/948/ 
2. https://nerc.gov.ng/index.php/component/remository/func-startdown/899/?Itemid=591 

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