In a recent development, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has instructed the Transmission Company of Nigeria to restrict the provision of electricity to international customers in Benin Republic, Niger, and Togo to just 6%.
This directive was outlined in a document named ‘Interim Order on Transmission System Dispatch Operations, Cross-border Supply, and Related Matters,’ signed by the Chairman, Sanusi Garba, and Vice Chairman, Musiliu Oseni.
Effective from May 1, 2024, the order will be in place for six months with the possibility of being reviewed.
Nigeria currently supplies power to neighboring countries such as Benin Republic, Niger Republic, and Togo.
Upon closer examination of the order, it becomes evident that the power supply to these neighboring nations cannot exceed six percent of the total grid electricity at any given moment.
The Commission cited this measure as one that would enhance the capacity of electricity supply within Nigeria.
“The practice of limiting Discos’ load off-take and prioritizing international off-takers and Eligible Customers has not been proven as efficient or equitable,” the Commission stated.
It further specified that the system operator would record and make public hourly readings, applying penalties for violations of grid instructions and contracted nominations. The maximum load allocated to international off-takers in each trading hour must not surpass six percent of the total available grid generation.
The Minister of Power in Nigeria, Adebayo Adelabu, recently announced an increase in the country’s power supply from 4,200MW to 4,800 megawatts.
However, certain regions in Nigeria continue to experience unstable power supply.