Nigeria power firms dispute root causes of electricity shortages

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) rejected claims by the Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC) that Nigeria’s electricity shortfall is mainly due to inadequate transmission capacity. Citing the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (NERC) first‑quarter 2026 data, TCN said generation availability is the dominant bottleneck, with an average available capacity of about 4,458 MW and a verified wheeling capacity of 8,700 MW. TCN also noted that installed generation capacity for the 28 grid‑connected plants totals 13,625 MW, not the 15,500 MW alleged by APGC, and highlighted recent infrastructure upgrades such as new 330 kV lines and 82 transformers added between 2024 and 2025.

Eko Electricity Distribution Plc (EKEDP) attributed ongoing outages in Festac Town and surrounding areas to transmission upgrade works and repeated vandalism of underground distribution cables. The company reported that a new Festac‑3 feeder has been commissioned but awaits final load‑balancing and TCN approval, while partial restoration of the Festac‑1 feeder is underway. EKEDP confirmed it has invested several hundred million naira to strengthen the local network and mitigate the impact of cable theft.