Data released on Friday from the Federal Government agency showed that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission granted power-generating licenses to 21 investors in 2022.
According to The Punch, the commission awarded 114 permits for the construction of mini-grids to increase the country’s supply of electricity last year.
Since the privatization of the power sector in November 2013, the Federal Government and other power sector players have been working to increase the country’s power generation and supplies.
However, Nigeria’s electricity production has fluctuated between 3,500 megawatts and 5,000 megawatts, a level that operators and analysts deemed insufficient for a population of more than 200 million people.
The commission reported in its most recent report on licencing and permissions in the power sector that it had authorized two power generation licences with a total capacity of 56.5MW in the fourth quarter of 2022 and had awarded 27 registration/permits for mini-grids in the same period.
“In 2022/Q4, the commission authorised the revision of two on-grid embedded generating licences as well as the issuing of two additional generation licences with a combined capacity of 56.50MW.
“The commission also authorised 14 registration certificates and 13 licences for mini-grids with a combined capacity of less than 1MW.
NERC added that “it also approved the amendment/renewal of seven captive power generation permits with a combined capacity of 65.36MW.”
Additionally, it stated that requests from seven metre installers, three metre manufacturers, and two meter importers were also approved by the commission in the last quarter of 2022.
Six power generation licences and 23 registration/permits for mini-grids were also issued in the third quarter.
The commission approved the granting of six new generation licences and one trade licence in 2022/Q3, according to the authority overseeing the electricity sector. In addition, the commission authorised 23 mini-grid registrations and permits and issued permissions for captive power generation to two new businesses with a combined capacity of 14.6MW.
Seven Metre Service Providers and four Metre Asset Provider permits were also approved by the commission in 2022/Q3.
Two licences for electricity generation and 23 permits or registrations for mini-grids were given to investors in the second quarter of last year, according to NERC.
In 2022/Q2, the commission authorised the issuing of two new generation licences, one trade licence, the renewal of one existing licence, and a licence renewal, according to the statement.
“The commission also approved 23 mini-grid registration/permits and issued captive power generation permits to eight new businesses with a combined capacity of 174.08MW,” the statement continued.
The industry watchdog reported that the commission also authorised 14 Metre Service Providers in 2022/Q2, including nine metre installers, three metre producers, one metre importer, and one metre seller.
The first quarter of 2022 had the largest number of electricity generation licences and mini-grid registrations/permits issued. In Q1 2022, the NERC issued 41 registration/permits for mini-grids and 11 licences for energy generation.
“The commission authorised the issuing of 11 new generating licences in 2022/Q1, as well as the renewal of two active licences and the transfer of one on-grid generation licence.
“The commission also approved 41 mini-grid registration/permits and granted an aggregate capacity of 186.06MW captive power generation permits to seven new companies,” the regulatory body claimed.
It stated that the commission had also authorised 12 Metering Service Providers in 2022/Q1. These included eight metre installers, three metre producers, and one metre importer.
