Abuja, April 17, 2025 — Nigeria has reduced its electricity supply to the Republic of Niger from 80 megawatts to 46 megawatts — a 42 per cent cut — amid ongoing regional sanctions and domestic power sector challenges.
According to reports gathered by Vanguard, the cutback has severely impacted Niger’s electricity generation, leading to a 30 to 50 per cent drop in available power. As a result, the state-run utility company, Nigelec, has been forced to implement rolling blackouts, especially in the capital, Niamey.
Niger’s Minister of Energy, Haoua Amadou, confirmed that Nigeria had resumed electricity exports following an earlier suspension but is now supplying significantly less than the usual volume. “Nigeria has since resumed delivering electricity but only providing 46 megawatts, instead of the usual 80 megawatts,” she stated.
Nigeria halted the bulk of its electricity exports to Niger in 2023 following the military coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum. The move was part of broader sanctions imposed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The power cut also reflects Nigeria’s deepening electricity crisis. The country currently generates just over 5,000 megawatts for its population of more than 200 million — far below the estimated 30,000 megawatts required to meet national demand. Challenges such as inadequate gas supply, aging infrastructure, and insufficient investment continue to hamper generation and distribution.
This week, Nigeria’s power generation companies (GenCos) issued a warning of potential shutdowns over a N4 trillion legacy debt owed by the federal government. Under the Association of Power Generation Companies, the firms highlighted that they are receiving less than 30 per cent of their monthly invoices, a situation they say is unsustainable.
In a statement signed by the association’s Chairman of the Board of Trustees, retired Colonel Sani Bello, the GenCos accused the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) and other stakeholders of marginalizing them in the application of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry’s (NESI) “waterfall arrangement.” Under the system, some service providers reportedly receive full payment while GenCos are paid as little as 9 to 11 per cent of their dues.
Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has acknowledged the crisis. His Special Adviser, Bolaji Tunji, stated that the government is aware of the debt challenge and has initiated steps to resolve it. According to Tunji, the Ministry of Finance is expected to take over the debt settlement process soon.
As both Nigeria and Niger grapple with power shortages, stakeholders warn that urgent reforms and investments are essential to prevent the collapse of the region’s already fragile electricity infrastructure.
