Mixed reactions trail Obi’s 10,000MW power promise

By Precious Mark

Peter Obi’s promise to raise Nigeria’s electricity supply to 10,000 megawatts within four years has triggered a fresh debate over the country’s actual power generation capacity, with energy experts and social media users offering differing interpretations of the numbers.

Obi, speaking during an interview on Arise News, said his administration would prioritize electricity and economic reforms, insisting that Nigeria’s current power output remains far below what is needed for a population of over 200 million people.

“This is something we have carefully studied, and we are not going to come into government and start making excuses about why it cannot be done,” Obi said.

He described it as unacceptable that Nigeria still generates and distributes only around 4,000 megawatts despite millions of citizens lacking reliable access to electricity.

The comments quickly drew reactions online, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), where users questioned how Obi’s proposed 10,000MW target compares with Nigeria’s current installed capacity and the Federal Government’s existing agreement with Siemens.

One question raised by X user @dogesvestor2 asked what Nigeria’s installed generation capacity was before the Siemens power deal and what the target under that agreement currently stands at.

Available sector data shows that before the Nigeria-Siemens Electrification Roadmap was signed in 2019, the country had an installed generation capacity of slightly above 12,000MW. However, only a fraction of that power consistently reached homes and businesses due to transmission and distribution constraints.

In its 2019 roadmap with Nigeria, Siemens stated that the project was designed in phases to raise operational electricity capacity first to 7,000MW, then to 11,000MW, and eventually to 25,000MW through comprehensive upgrades across generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure.

The distinction between installed capacity and reliably delivered power has remained central to the debate.

Reacting to Obi’s remarks, X user @ERINFOLAMI2024 argued that Nigeria already possesses more than 10,000MW in installed capacity and that the major challenge is not generation but moving that electricity across the national grid.

According to the post, expanding transmission capacity remains critical, as additional generation alone will not automatically translate to an improved electricity supply unless the grid can wheel and distribute it efficiently.

The renewed argument has once again highlighted Nigeria’s long-standing electricity crisis and whether future reforms should focus primarily on generation, transmission, distribution, or a simultaneous overhaul of all three sectors.