NERC Reports 656MW Capacity Unused by Power Plants

In August 2026, power plants connected to Nigeria's national grid had the capacity to produce an average of 4,758 megawatts (MW) but generated only 4,102MW, resulting in 656MW, or 14%, of their capacity remaining unused. This information was reported in the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (NERC) August 2026 Operational Performance of Power Plants factsheet.

The average capacity available for dispatch in August was the highest for the year, showing an increase of 472MW, or about 11%, from April's low of 4,286MW. However, the load factor decreased to 86%, the lowest recorded in four months, compared to 90% in January, 93% in February, and 94% in April.

The average generation in August was only marginally higher than April's 4,048MW. The factsheet also noted that the average lower grid frequency was 49.34Hz and the upper frequency was 50.67Hz, both exceeding the target range.