Falling Backward: Nigeria’s Power Sector And The Betrayal Of A National Promise

Despite grand promises enshrined in the APC manifesto to deliver uninterrupted electricity, Nigeria’s power sector has deteriorated into deeper crisis. From collapsing grids and failed privatisation to leadership indifference and corruption, this piece examines how the nation has fallen far behind its stated goals—and what must urgently be done to reverse the slide.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) promised Nigerians a power revolution. In its manifesto, the party pledged to generate, transmit and distribute electricity from the then existing 5,000–6,000 megawatts (MW) to at least 20,000 MW within four years, scaling up to 50,000 MW in ten years, with a view to achieving 24/7 uninterrupted power supply, while simultaneously developing sustainable and renewable energy. That promise, copied directly from the APC website on February 2, 2026, now stands in stark contrast to the grim reality confronting Nigerians daily.

The crisis bedeviling the power sector has reached an alarming stage. Whichever way one turns the issue, the conclusion remains the same: Nigeria’s electricity supply is far worse today than what the current government met. Despite repeated assurances from those in authority, the challenges appear overwhelming, unaddressed, and increasingly normalised.

Today, virtually every building in Nigeria runs on a generator, powered by expensive diesel or petrol, with all the attendant health, safety and environmental hazards. Solar panels and inverters have become the latest coping mechanism. Ironically, public power supply has been reduced to a standby option, while generators serve as the primary source of electricity and solar systems as alternatives. This abnormal reality underscores the depth of the sector’s failure.

 Inadequate and Dilapidated Infrastructure

Nigeria’s power generation capacity remains abysmally low compared to national demand. Although the installed capacity is put at about 12,500 MW, actual available generation is far less due to gas shortages, poor maintenance, and technical failures. While citizens are told that new generation companies have been added, the outcome has only worsened.

Transmission and distribution present an even grimmer picture. The national grid is outdated and fragile, prone to frequent collapses and incapable of carrying available load. Highly publicised interventions, including foreign technical support, have yielded little more than repeated blackouts. Distribution companies operate with obsolete transformers and feeder lines, which routinely fail during minor storms or rainfall, often damaging consumers’ appliances through low voltage supply.

 Gas Supply Constraints

Nigeria’s heavy reliance on gas-fired power plants has exposed the sector to chronic disruptions. Pipeline vandalism, gas flaring, and insufficient investment in gas infrastructure have consistently limited power generation. These problems are not new; they have merely been recycled through propaganda, while successive administrations pass the burden to their successors.

Privatisation Without Performance

The 2013 privatisation of the power sector was intended to improve efficiency. Instead, it has delivered mixed—and largely disappointing—results. Many private investors lack the financial capacity, technical expertise, or commitment to upgrade infrastructure. Allegations of opaque processes and favoured bidders continue to trail the exercise, discouraging both foreign investment and public confidence.

Debt, Tariffs and Financial Distress

Electricity distribution and generation companies are financially distressed, burdened by huge debts and a tariff regime that neither reflects true costs nor rewards performance. Government subsidies, riddled with corruption, have become unsustainable. Consumers, already spending heavily on generators, demand affordable public power, while operators seek higher tariffs without commensurate improvement in service delivery.

 Losses, Non-Payment and Revenue Leakages

Technical and commercial losses remain high, with a significant portion of generated electricity never reaching consumers. Illegal connections, obsolete infrastructure, and weak enforcement fuel revenue losses. A widespread culture of non-payment further undermines the sector’s viability.

Regulatory Failure and Governance Deficit

Nigeria’s power sector suffers from inconsistent policies and weak regulation. The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) struggles to enforce standards, regulate tariffs effectively, and hold operators accountable. Corruption, mismanagement of funds, and lack of political will have entrenched systemic failure.

Energy Poverty and Missed Renewable Opportunities

Large segments of the population, particularly in rural areas, remain without reliable electricity. Despite Nigeria’s vast renewable energy potential—solar, wind and hydro— the country has been slow to embrace clean energy solutions at scale, remaining largely dependent on fossil fuels.

Leadership Indifference

Perhaps the most troubling aspect is leadership indifference. Those entrusted with revamping the power sector appear to have worsened it. The President bears ultimate responsibility, having approved controversial tariff structures despite evident inefficiency and incompetence within the sector. The widening gap between promises and performance constitutes a grave breach of public trust.

The Way Forward

Reforming Nigeria’s power sector demands urgent and deliberate action. Massive investment is required across generation, transmission and distribution. The grid must be modernized, losses reduced, and the energy mix diversified to include renewables. Regulation must be transparent and firm, corruption decisively tackled, and governance strengthened.

Decentralised solutions— mini-grids, solar power and off-grid systems—should be aggressively promoted, particularly in rural and underserved communities. The metering process must be simplified to eliminate bureaucracy and corruption.