Nigeria and UAE Discuss Boosting Power Generation by 5,000 MW: Nigeria’s Federal Minister of Power
Faizan Hashmi | Published September 01, 2026 | 07:00 PM
DUBAI (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM – 01st Sep, 2026) Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, Nigeria’s Federal Minister of Power, has revealed that his country is exploring ways to strengthen its electricity generation capacity with the UAE by approximately 5,000 megawatts. He highlighted solar energy as a key area of cooperation between the two nations, alongside financing and knowledge sharing.
Speaking to the Emirates News Agency (WAM) on the sidelines of Middle East Energy 2026, Tegbe stated that Nigeria enjoys extensive collaboration with the UAE, encompassing financial support for various programs and discussions on enhancing electricity generation. He noted that solar energy is a prominent cooperation field due to the countries’ similar conditions and high solar irradiation levels.
According to Tegbe, Nigeria exchanges ideas and leverages the UAE’s experience in expanding energy projects. He emphasized that partnership between the two nations extends beyond financing, encompassing knowledge sharing, expertise, and technical insights.
Reforms in Nigeria’s Electricity Sector
The Minister discussed Nigeria’s electricity sector reforms, aiming for sustainability through:
- Upgrading parts of the power grid, some dating back 50 years.
- Replacing infrastructure components to enhance network stability.
- Rehabilitation of transmission lines to accommodate future loads.
Tegbe reported Nigeria’s installed electricity generation capacity at 13,625 megawatts, with approximately 5,000 megawatts transmitted through the grid and about 4,000 megawatts actually delivered.
He mentioned ATC&C (Aggregate Technical, Commercial, and Collection) losses as another focus area, including technical losses in the grid and commercial losses due to tariff variations.
Decentralization and Reform
Tegbe highlighted Nigeria’s shift from a centralized electricity sector relying on the federal national grid to a more decentralized model. He attributed this change to legislation enacted over the past two years, which grants subnational governments greater control over electricity generation and distribution, alongside the federal government.
These reforms, according to Tegbe, strengthen Nigeria’s electricity system’s capacity to fulfill citizens’ needs and promote sector efficiency and sustainability.
