Over 60% Of Installed Power Capacity Idle-Report

Nigeria’s electricity generation companies recorded a slight decline in available capacity in the fourth quarter of 2025, a report by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has disclosed.

The data shows that 28 power plants, comprising five hydroelectric plants, two steam plants, 19 Open Cycle Gas Turbine (OCGT) plants, and two Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) plants, supplied electricity to the grid during the period.

According to the report, the average available generation during the period decreased by 29.96MW (-0.55%) from the 5,430.34MW recorded in 2025/Q3 to 5,400.38MW.

Out of the 28 grid-connected plants, 17 recorded decreases in available generation capacity, while ten posted improvements.

The commission stated that the Alaoji power plant remained at zero availability throughout both quarters.

It added that among the worst-hit plants were Ibom Power_1, which recorded a 55.37 per cent decline in available capacity, Geregu_2 with a 42.27 per cent drop, Omotosho_1 with 38.67 per cent, Ihovbor_1 with 32.95 per cent and Afam_2 with a 32.47 per cent decline.

However, during the period, Rivers_1 recorded the highest increase in available capacity at 209.95 per cent, followed by Afam_1 at 139.87 per cent, Kainji_1 at 35.31 per cent and Sapele_2 at 34.87 per cent.

In the hydropower segment, it stated that Shiroro_1 recorded a decline in available capacity from 397.99MW in Q3 to 382.58MW in Q4 due to mechanical repairs and annual maintenance carried out on some generating units during the quarter.
According to the data, Kainji_1 increased its available capacity by 149.46MW, while Jebba_1 and Zungeru_1 recorded increases of 54.34MW and 13.80MW, respectively.

The data also shows that the average Plant Availability Factor (PAF) for all grid-connected plants stood at 39.64 per cent in Q4 2025, indicating that more than 60 per cent of the country’s installed generation capacity was unavailable for dispatch during the quarter.

During the period, nine plants recorded availability factors above 50 per cent, with Zungeru_1 and Ikeja_1 achieving 100 per cent availability during the period.

According to the data, Ibom Power_1 posted a PAF of 2.16 per cent, while Alaoji_1 remained completely unavailable for dispatch.

Despite improvements recorded at Rivers_1, Kainji_1 and Ihovbor_2, the overall industry PAF declined slightly by 0.22 percentage points from 39.86 per cent in Q3 to 39.64 per cent in Q4.

But Geregu_2 recorded one of the sharpest declines in plant availability factor, dropping by 17.90 percentage points due largely to maintenance outages affecting one of its generating units.

Other plants that posted notable declines in availability factor included Okpai_1, Omotosho_1 and Afam_2.