The Federal Government has set an ambitious goal to boost the nation’s electricity supply from around 5,500 megawatts to 8,500 megawatts within the next 12 to 18 months, as part of broader efforts to stabilise and expand Nigeria’s power infrastructure.

Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, Ayodeji Gbeleyi, announced the target on Wednesday in Abuja during a Senior Leadership Team Retreat for top executives of the newly established Nigerian Independent System Operator.

He urged NISO to spearhead efforts to strengthen grid management, enhance system reliability, and improve operational efficiency in order to meet the electricity supply target.

“The National Broadcast of Electricity today said generation revolves around 5500MW. I do hope most sincerely that when we come back here 12 months from now, that generation capacity, based on the efficiency of the transmission grid, will be somewhere around 7500 to 8,500MW. We must move from where we are within the next 12 months,” Gbeleyi said. “That’s the charge, and NISO is expected to play a strategic role in achieving this.”

He emphasised that the growth of Nigeria’s power sector hinges on a stable transmission backbone and an efficiently managed national grid, stressing that improved coordination and greater investment in system operations are vital to meeting consumer needs and driving industrial development.

While the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry currently transmits about 5,500 megawatts daily, generation capacity exceeds 14,000 megawatts.

Gbeleyi maintained that the government’s target is attainable, stating that the industry can boost its capacity by at least 50 per cent within the next 12 to 18 months.

“Where we stand today, we have about 5,500 MW of power being wheeled on a day-to-day basis. Compare that with the fact that the total nameplate capacity for generation in the country is a bit above 14,000 MW.

“So it is not a tall order for us to believe that in the near term, 12 to 18 months, we can scale up capacity, you know, to probably increase that 5,500 by a minimum of 50 per cent,” the BPE boss added.

NISO Managing Director, Abdu Mohammed, expressed confidence that the 8,500MW target is achievable, citing improved coordination and a strategic focus on attracting private sector investment.

He noted that the Nigerian Independent System Operator is well-positioned to deliver on the goal, aligning with the remarks of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission Chairman, Engr. Sanusi Garba, who was represented by Commissioner Dafe Akpneye.

Mohammed added that NISO is working towards a modernised grid marked by greater resilience, stability, and reliability. He also disclosed that the government has awarded new nationwide contracts for the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system to enhance grid monitoring and control.

According to him, work is ongoing across various northern points of the system, with contractors working relentlessly around the clock. He revealed that the SCADA system is expected to be fully operational by the end of next year.