The Nigerian government has unveiled ambitious plans to significantly boost the country’s power generation capacity, setting a target of 8,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity before President Bola Tinubu’s current term ends in 2027. A key component of this strategy involves tapping into private sector investment for the expansion and modernisation of the national grid.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, also announced plans to construct modular solar power plants with a combined capacity of 1,900 MW across Nigeria’s 19 northern states. Each plant is projected to generate approximately 100 MW, aiming to enhance energy independence in these states and reduce their reliance on the national grid, which has recently faced challenges due to vandalism.
The northern region has experienced significant power supply disruptions, notably the damage to critical transmission infrastructure like the Shiroro-Kaduna power line last October, which caused a month-long blackout across 17 states. This incident spurred calls from northern governors for energy diversification.
Minister Adelabu emphasized Nigeria’s abundant sunshine, stating there was “no reason” why the country could not achieve utility-scale solar power generation. He revealed that private investors, including Sun Africa Energy and Skipper Electric, have expressed strong interest in Nigeria’s power sector, focusing on renewable energy generation and grid expansion.
Sun Africa Energy reportedly intends to bring in around 1,000 MW of solar energy directly into the national grid, while Skipper Energy plans to construct the modular 100 MW solar plants in each of the 19 northern states.
Mr. Adelabu described the 8,000 MW target as “realistic,” noting that power generation had already improved by about 40% since the current administration took office in August 2023. He stated that average daily generation rose from 4,100 MW in the third quarter of 2023 to 5,700 MW in the last quarter of 2025, peaking at 5,800 MW.
He highlighted the slow pace of power sector growth in the past, noting that it took Nigeria nearly four decades to double its power generation from 2,000 MW to 4,000 MW. In contrast, he claimed the current administration had added 1,700 MW in just over a year.
Acknowledging the scarcity of public funds, the minister stressed that the government is actively seeking private sector financing for the construction of new transmission lines, substations, and additional transformers to expand the national grid, which is currently 100% government-owned.
Mr. Adelabu also pointed to progress in strengthening the existing grid, stating that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) had commissioned 61 new transformers in 2024, adding significant capacity. He noted that the grid’s operational capacity had reached 8.7 gigawatts, allowing for the successful evacuation of the increased generation.
Furthermore, the minister announced progress in regionalising the national grid, with approvals for “supergrid” projects in the eastern and western parts of the country currently underway. This regionalisation aims to reduce the impact of localised grid failures on the rest of the nation.
Finally, Mr. Adelabu reported that the long-abandoned Kaduna Power Plant, a 215 MW facility, is now 87% complete and is expected to become operational by the end of 2025, following intervention from the current administration.
Despite these ambitious plans, the minister acknowledged that while around 150 million Nigerians currently have access to adequate electricity, an estimated 80 million still lack a reliable power supply. He stressed that the focus is now on ensuring the stability and affordability of electricity for all.
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