Nigeria’s grid-connected power plants operated at an average of 86 per cent of their available generation capacity in August 2026, according to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
NERC’s August operational factsheet showed that an average of 4,758 megawatts (MW) was available for dispatch during the month, while average hourly generation stood at 4,102MW. This left about 656MW of available capacity unused on average.
Among the major generating plants, Afam_2 recorded the highest load factor at 99 per cent, followed by Kainji_1 at 98 per cent and Egbin_1 at 96 per cent. Olorunsogo_1, Omoku_1 and Igbafo_1 each recorded full utilisation of their available capacity.
However, the relatively high utilisation rate did not eliminate concerns over grid stability. NERC reported that both frequency and voltage levels exceeded prescribed operating ranges during the month.
Average grid frequency ranged from 49.34Hz to 50.67Hz, outside the permitted range of 49.75Hz to 50.25Hz. Voltage levels also moved outside the prescribed range.
The figures highlight the importance of improving not only generation utilisation but also transmission and grid stability as Nigeria seeks more reliable electricity for households and businesses.
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