The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has disclosed that only an average of 4,901 megawatts (MW) out of Nigeria’s total installed electricity generation capacity of 13,625MW was available on the national grid in January 2026.
According to NERC’s January 2026 Operational Performance Factsheet published on its official X handle, the available power represented just 36 per cent of the country’s installed generation capacity during the month.
The commission noted that the power sector recorded an average load factor of 90 per cent, indicating that about 4,421 megawatt-hours per hour (MWh/h) of the available capacity was effectively utilised. NERC said Ihovbor_2, Kainji_1, and Jebba_1 power plants stood out with strong availability and high utilisation levels.
However, the report highlighted concerns around grid stability. NERC stated that the monthly average lower grid voltage of 305.52kV and the average upper grid voltage of 348.45kV exceeded the prescribed limits of 313.50kV to 346.50kV.
Similarly, the average lower grid frequency of 49.03Hz and the average upper grid frequency of 50.66Hz were also outside the approved range of 49.75Hz to 50.25Hz.
The commission further revealed that the top ten power generation companies accounted for 77 per cent of the total electricity generated in January. These include Egbin Power Plant, Delta Power Plant, Kainji Power Plant, Zungeru Power Plant, Afam Power Plant, Odukpani Power Plant, Shiroro Power Plant, Jebba Power Plant, Okpai Power Plant, and Ihovbor Power Plant.
NERC said the data underscores the need for improved generation availability and enhanced grid management to stabilise power supply across the country.
