THERE is currently no end in sight to Nigeria’s grid collapse, as the latest report from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) showed unresolved grid weaknesses.
Nigerian businesses, homes and industrial clusters are not relieved from the incessant grid collapse, which industry stakeholders say was a result of managerial and technical incompetence and misalignment of various power value chains.
The ICIR reports that in 2024, the national grid collapsed more than 12 times.
Nigeria has also witnessed several grid collapses in 2025, with the most recent one occurring on September 10, causing widespread power outages across the country.
According to the Commission’s latest Operational Performance of Power Plants fact sheet for October, the grid-connected plants recorded a Plant Availability Factor (PAF) of 40 per cent during the month, up by two per cent.
The NERC disclosed that system stability indicators fell short of regulatory thresholds.
It explained that grid voltage fluctuated between 294.55 (kilovolts)kV and 346.90kV, dipping below and rising above the target band of 313.50–346.50kV.
The regulator explained further that the grid frequency performance also remained unstable, oscillating between 49.46Hz and 50.69Hz—well outside the prescribed 49.75–50.25Hz range.
It noted that during the period, hydropower stations outperformed their thermal counterparts in availability.
The breakdown shows that Zungeru posted a 100 per cent PAF (700MW available), followed by Jebba at 93 per cent, and Kainji at 75 per cent.
Conversely, the regulator revealed that the country’s power plants recorded improved performance in October.
The commission, however, announced that the grid voltage and frequency stability remained outside prescribed operational limits.
It stated that out of the nation’s 13,625 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity, an average of 5,506MW was available for dispatch, a six per cent increase from the previous month.
Despite this improvement, only 78 per cent of available generation capacity was utilised.
In the month under review, the average hourly energy generation stood at 4,290 MWh/h, representing a 5 per cent rise.
Other strong performers included Ihovbor (Unit 2) at 89 per cent and Shiroro at 74 per cent.
Meanwhile, gas-powered plants such as Odukpani (31 per cent), Delta (45 per cent), and Egbin (50 per cent) operated far below installed capacity, reflecting ongoing challenges with gas supply, maintenance, and ageing infrastructure.
A number of plants, including Alaoji and Ibom Power, recorded zero available capacity throughout the period.
The report showed that the top ten energy producers accounted for 80 per cent of total generation in October.
It stated that Kainji delivered the highest load factor at 95 per cent, followed by Olorunsogo (Unit 1), Ikeja West, Dadin-Kowa, and Omoku, all at or near full utilisation of available capacity.
However, Zungeru, despite having full availability, recorded a relatively low load factor of 47 per cent, indicating limited dispatch due to grid constraints or water management considerations.
Also, during the period, several grid-connected plants continued to struggle, with Sapele Steam posting a two per cent availability factor, Omotosho (2) recorded three per cent, while Ihovbor (1) and Olorunsogo (2) posted 12 per cent and 14 per cent respectively.
Also, only a few small-capacity stations, such as Dadin-Kowa (40MW), Ikeja (110MW), and Igbabo (45MW), operated at 100 per cent availability.
Harrison Edeh is a journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, always determined to drive advocacy for good governance through holding public officials and businesses accountable.