As Nigeria continues to battle electricity shortages despite vast renewable potential, the Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), Mustafa Abdullahi, has offered insight into the country’s current energy strategy, including its decision to export electricity to neighbouring countries.
In an interview monitored by DAILY GAZETTE, Abdullahi addressed the progress made in energy access, the push for renewables, and the controversial issue of power exports to nations like Benin Republic.
Abdullahi acknowledged that energy access remains a challenge, with around 85 million Nigerians still without electricity. However, he noted improvements in generation capacity:
“Presently, out of 230 to 240 million Nigerians, only about 85 million do not have access to electricity. That’s a lot, but 60 per cent of Nigerians have access,” he said.
“We used to generate 4,000 megawatts before 2023; now we’re generating, transmitting, and distributing 6,000 megawatts.”
Despite the progress, Abdullahi admitted that infrastructure limitations, especially poor transmission lines, remain the main cause of frequent outages.
He praised the Electricity Act of 2023, which allows states to generate, distribute, and regulate electricity independently.
However, implementation has been slow, largely due to limited technical and financial capacity:
“It’s not easy for states to generate and regulate electricity. That’s where we come in — to build their capacity, help develop policies, and attract investors.”
States are reportedly piloting projects with small-scale generation of around five megawatts, aiming to eventually scale up to 40–70 megawatts each.
Abdullahi explained that Nigeria’s energy mix is dominated by gas (86%), followed by hydro (12%), and a minimal share of renewables. However, the ECN is working to shift toward solar energy:
“The sun is our strategy. We’re solarising the country. With renewable energy, you don’t need generators or worry about Band A or Band B.”
He added that local production of solar panels and batteries is also in the pipeline to make renewable systems more affordable.
On the controversial issue of Nigeria exporting electricity while facing domestic shortages, Abdullahi clarified that only around 6% of the country’s power output is sent to countries like Benin and this is mostly from hydro sources, not gas:
“We’re not doing it just to sell, it’s strategic and economically driven. You cannot share rivers and waterways with a country and not give them electricity out of goodwill.”
He revealed that a past threat by Benin Republic to build a competing dam near Nigeria’s prompted an agreement to export power instead, avoiding disruptions to Nigeria’s hydro supply.
On electricity tariff classifications such as Band A and Band B, Abdullahi said they are temporary measures designed to manage cost recovery:
“Electricity isn’t cheap anywhere. The holidays need to end. Nigerians must pay for what they consume.”
“These bands will eventually be phased out as our energy mix improves and renewables become more accessible.”
Abdullahi disclosed that a national energy audit has been conducted to identify and address inefficiencies:
“We need 35,000 megawatts for full coverage. But if we use the 6,000 megawatts efficiently, it can go a long way. Many people are using inefficient appliances without knowing. We’re encouraging the use of energy-saving devices.”
On electric mobility, the ECN chief said Nigeria is moving forward with EV adoption, starting with public sector leadership:
“We don’t procure petrol cars anymore. Our offices now have charging stations. If you have an EV, just walk in, charge your car, and go.”
“Each state now has a free trade zone, which we are leveraging to establish EV and energy component factories.”
