The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) said that fifteen power plants across the country recorded increased available generation capacities in the first quarter of 2025.
According to NERC’s Q1 2025 report, average available generation capacity rose by 69.99 megawatts (MW), from 5,296.89MW in Q4 2024 to 5,366.88MW in Q1 2025, an increase of 1.32 per cent.
This growth was driven largely by the performance boost across fifteen of the country’s twenty-eight grid-connected power plants.
The plants include five hydro, two steam, nineteen Open Cycle Gas Turbine (OCGT), and two Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) facilities.
The improved capacity had a ripple effect on actual power generation, with average hourly generation increasing by 563.18 megawatt-hours per hour (MWh/h), a 13.39 per cent rise from 4,207.41MWh/h in Q4 2024 to 4,770.59MWh/h in Q1 2025.
Cumulatively, the total energy generated in the quarter stood at 10,304.47 gigawatt-hours (GWh), up by 10.92 per cent (1,014.52GWh) from the 9,289.95GWh recorded in the previous quarter.
NERC attributed this growth not only to the improved plant capacities but also to increased energy offtake by grid-connected customers, including electricity distribution companies (DisCos).
The commission also declared that it issued 55 licenses, permits and certifications in the quarter under review.
These include four off-grid generation licenses with a combined nameplate capacity of 66.49MW, one new electricity trading license, four Independent Electricity Distribution Network (IEDN) licenses, and two embedded generation licenses.
The Commission also approved sixteen captive generation permits with a gross capacity of 952.64MW, along with seven mini-grid permits.
On metering, NERC said thirteen certifications were issued to Meter Service Providers, while eight permits went to Meter Asset Providers (MAPs).
THE WHISTLER recalls that Nigeria recorded a $11.44m revenue shortfall from its six international bilateral customers in the first quarter of 2025.
The six international bilateral customers purchased electricity from Nigeria’s grid-connected Generation Companies (GenCos) within the period under review.
NERC, in its 2025 first quarter report, stated that the six international bilateral customers paid only 33.70 per cent of their total invoice in the first quarter of 2025, resulting in a significant shortfall of $11.44m.
The commission disclosed that the customers collectively remitted $5.80m out of the $17.2m invoiced to them by the Market Operator (MO) for services rendered during the period.
“The remittance performance of the international bilateral customers stood at 33.70 per cent in Q1 2025,” the report noted.
The international bilateral customers are Société Nigérienne d’Electricité (NIGELEC) of Niger Republic, Compagnie Energie Electrique du Togo (CEET), Société Béninoise d’Energie Electrique (SBEE) of Benin Republic, among others.
However, domestic bilateral customers showed a stronger commitment during the period, paying ₦1.86bn of the ₦2.57bn billed to them, representing a 72.24 per cent remittance rate.
