Nigeria exports N181.62bn electricity to Togo, Benin, Niger
Nigeria exported a total of N181.62 billion worth of electricity between January and September 2024.According to National Bureau of Statistics data, exports totaled N58.65 billion in Q1 to Togo, Benin, and the Niger Republic, N63.28 billion in Q2, and N59.69 billion in Q3.
Despite the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission's decision in May 2024 to cap electricity exports to neighboring countries in order to prioritize the domestic market, Nigeria continued to export significant amounts of electricity.
In May 2024, the NERC mandated that power delivery to Nigeria's neighboring countries not exceed 6% of total grid electricity at any time.
This decision came after the April 2024 Supplementary Order was implemented, and NERC discovered suboptimal grid dispatch practices.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission stated in the document titled "Interim Order on Transmission System Dispatch Operations, Cross-border Supply and Related Matters" that the cap on electricity exports would be in place for the first six months, subject to review.
The NERC order, dated April 29, 2024 and effective May 1, 2024, was signed by the Chairman, Sanusi Garba, and Vice Chairman, Musiliu Oseni.
NERC's order argued that continued electricity exports had jeopardized Distribution Companies' ability to meet Service-Based Tariff commitments, affecting their ability to provide agreed-upon service levels to end-user customers.
NERC stated that the system operator's sole reliance on limiting load off-take or allocation to Discos to manage recurring grid imbalances, while prioritizing international off-takers and Eligible Customers, is neither efficient nor equitable.
NERC stated that the system operator's approach to managing generation availability has caused significant hardship for Discos' customers, including industrial, commercial, and residential users, especially during peak demand periods.
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