Power Plants Operated At 36% Capacity In January — NERC

Nigeria’s electricity grid operated with low generation availability and experienced frequent system instability in January 2026, according to the Operational Performance Factsheet released by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

Nigeria’s power plants delivered far less electricity than their installed capacity in January, as generation constraints and grid management challenges persisted across the network, data from the regulator has shown.

Information obtained from NERC’s X handle indicated that grid-connected generating stations ran significantly below potential output throughout the month. While the nation’s installed capacity is put at 13,625 megawatts (MW), only an average of 4,901MW was available for dispatch to the grid.

The figure represents a Plant Availability Factor (PAF) of 36 per cent, underscoring the limited volume of power that could be mobilised despite existing infrastructure.

“The grid-connected plants recorded a Plant Availability Factor (PAF) of 36 percent at any time during the month, an average of 4,901 MW was available for dispatch into the grid.

“The average lower grid frequency (49.03Hz) and average upper grid frequency (50.66Hz) during the month exceeded the prescribed limits (49.75Hz–50.25Hz),” the commission noted,” NERC stated.

Despite the shortfall in available generation, utilisation of the supplied energy remained high. The commission reported an Average Load Factor of 90 per cent, which implies that roughly 4,421 megawatt-hours of the available power were dispatched and consumed.

The high load factor suggests strong electricity demand nationwide but also highlights tight reserve margins, leaving the system vulnerable to disturbances whenever supply fluctuates.

The January figures add to longstanding concerns about generation reliability and the need for sustained investment to improve plant performance and overall grid stability.