The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission issued 194 licences, permits and certifications across Nigeria’s electricity sector in 2025, up 15.5 per cent from the 168 approvals granted in 2024.

According to the regulator’s 2025 Annual Report, the approvals covered activities including electricity generation, distribution, trading, mini-grid operations and metering.

The increase highlights sustained regulatory activity across both conventional and decentralised segments of Nigeria’s electricity market, particularly in mini-grid development and electricity metering.

NERC said mini-grid permits accounted for the largest share of approvals in 2025, with the regulator issuing 64 permits during the year.

The rise in approvals reflects continued regulatory activity across both conventional and decentralised segments of Nigeria’s electricity market, particularly in mini-grid development and metering.

According to the regulator, mini-grid permits accounted for the largest share of approvals in 2025, with NERC issuing 64 permits during the year.

The report further revealed that Meter Service Providers received 43 approvals, while Meter Asset Providers accounted for 30. Captive power projects received 31 licences during the year.

NERC also issued seven licences for Independent Electricity Distribution Networks, six off-grid generation licences, five embedded generation licences and six electricity trading licences.

NERC also issued two on-grid generation licences during the year.

The regulator’s 2025 approvals were largely concentrated in distributed generation and metering, with mini-grids, captive power projects and metering-related approvals accounting for 168 of the 194 approvals issued.

In 2024, NERC granted 168 licences, permits and registrations across the electricity sector.

In 2025, the regulator issued a total of 168 approvals, including 22 off-grid generation licences, 39 Meter Asset Provider permits, 36 Meter Service Provider permits, 27 mini-grid permits, and 24 captive power licences. Additionally, NERC granted nine trading licences, seven mini-grid registrations, three on-grid generation licences, and one System Operator licence.

The 2025 approval landscape saw a notable shift, with a marked increase in mini-grid permits, while MAP and Meter Service Provider permits continued to account for a significant share of the total.