Nigeria has reduced electricity export to the military junta-led Niger Republic from 80 megawatts to 46 megawatts, Sahara Reporters has reported, citing Niger’s Energy Minister Haoua Amadou.
According to Amadou, Nigeria’s decision has resulted in power cuts in Niger’s capital, Niamey.
Local report suggests that the Nigerien electricity production had fallen by 30 to 50 per cent, forcing the state-owned power company, Nigelec, to impose planned outages that can last several days, especially in Niamey.
Nigeria had suspended much of its electricity exports to the West African nation as part of regional sanctions against the military junta that ousted civilian President Mohamed Bazoum in July 2023.
“Nigeria has since resumed electricity delivery but only providing 46 megawatts instead of the usual 80 megawatts,” Amadou said.
Earlier this week, the Association of Power Generation Companies in Nigeria (GenCos) raised the alarm over a looming shutdown of electricity plants nationwide due to a staggering N4trillion debt owed by the Nigerian government.
In a statement issued by Colonel Sani Bello, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC), on Monday, the GenCos revealed that they are currently owed N2 trillion for electricity supplied in 2024, along with an additional N1.9 trillion in legacy debts.
The companies lamented that they receive less than 30 per cent of their monthly invoices for power supplied to the national grid, which severely hampers their ability to sustain operations.
“The power generation companies have continued to bear the brunt of the liquidity crisis in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
“Despite significant investments and efforts to ramp up capacity, GenCos faces systemic constraints, unfriendly policies, and mounting debts without a clear repayment plan. The absence of firm contracts and a securitized market has further complicated financial planning,” the statement read.
The GenCos warned that the liquidity crisis could lead to a total collapse of the electricity value chain, resulting in widespread blackouts.
“The 2024 collection rate has dropped below 30%, and 2025 is not any better, severely affecting GenCos’ ability to meet financial obligations,” the statement added.
According to the statement, other challenges include high corporate taxes, regulatory fees, and foreign exchange volatility, all of which have further strained revenues.
The companies noted that despite fully supplying electricity, they are not being fully paid— even after the Partial Activation of Contracts in NESI since July 2022.
The GenCos urged the Nigerian government to take immediate action to prevent a total shutdown, warning that such a scenario could escalate into a national security crisis.
Source:https://energynewsafrica.com
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