The Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED) has expressed concern over Nigeria’s persistently low power generation despite its vast natural gas reserves.
The group lamented that Nigeria—home to over 200 million people—continues to struggle with generating just 5,500 megawatts of electricity, while South Africa, with a population of around 64 million, produces over 50,000 megawatts.
Sunday Oduntan, ANED’s Executive Director of Research and Advocacy, made these remarks in a presentation during a recent retreat organized by the Senate Committee on Power in Uyo, Akwa Ibom.
In a document obtained by our correspondent, Oduntan stated, “It is disheartening that a nation with approximately 237.5 million people, ranked as the sixth-largest oil producer globally and possessing gas reserves projected to last 100 years, still averages only 5,500MW from two sources.”
Oduntan emphasized that power generation should ideally stand at 1,000 megawatts per one million people. Citing a comparison, he noted that South Africa, with fewer resources and a population of 64.7 million, generates about 52,000 megawatts from six sources, with winter peak demand reaching around 27,000 megawatts.
He also expressed disappointment over the stalled Mambilla hydropower project. Despite being Nigeria’s largest hydropower initiative—with a planned capacity of 3,050MW—and awarded in 1982 for $5.8 billion, the project had no reported progress or completion status as of last month.
