Nigeria's Power Crisis: 68% of Capacity Remains Idle

As of February, around 68% of Nigeria's installed power generation capacity, totaling 13,625 megawatts (MW), remains idle, according to data from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC). The average capacity available for dispatch during this month was 4,384 MW, representing a significant 11% decline compared to January 2026.

This situation underscores the deep structural constraints limiting electricity supply to homes and businesses. The operational plants were running close to their maximum output, with an average hourly electricity generation of 4,102 megawatt-hours (MWh), which is a 7% decrease from January.

The load factor, measuring the actual utilization of available capacity, reached 93%, indicating that nearly all operational capacity was deployed. However, the narrow reserve margin of 282 MW poses risks to the system's ability to handle sudden generation losses.

Additionally, issues such as gas supply disruptions and infrastructural challenges continue to hinder the performance of power plants.