Neighbouring countries consume N181.62b power amid low domestic supply
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Some N181.62 billion worth of electricity was exported from Nigeria to neighbouring countries between January and September 2024, according to figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The NBS said N58.65 billion electricity was exported to Togo, Benin and Niger Republic in the first quarter of 2024 (Q1 2024), N63.28 billion in Q2 2024 and N59.69 billion in Q3 2024.
Power export thrived up to September despite the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) capping delivery to these countries in May in order to grow supply to the domestic market.
The NERC directed that power delivery to Nigeria’s neighbours should not exceed six per cent of total grid output at any in time, stressing that since the implementation of the April 2024 Supplementary Order, the regulator has observed sub-optimal grid dispatch operation practices.
A document produced by the NERC, titled “Interim Order on Transmission System Dispatch Operations, Cross-border Supply and Related Matters”, says the directive will last for six months in the first instance before review.
The directive, dated 29 April 2024, which became effective from 1 May 2024, was signed by NERC Chairman Sanusi Garba and Vice Chairman Musiliu Oseni, per reporting by Daily Trust.
It disclosed that supply to neighbouring countries has impaired the ability of Distribution Companies (Discos) to deliver on NERC’s Service Based Tariff (SBT) committed service levels to local customers with a significant impact on market revenue.
The NERC said the system operator’s sole reliance on limiting Discos’ load off-take/allocation in managing recurring grid imbalances while prioritising international off-takers and Eligible Customers (ECs) is neither efficient nor equitable.
The practice so far adopted by the operator in managing power generation, it stressed, has caused hardship to the customers of Discos, comprising industrial, commercial, and residential, especially during peak demands while prioritising delivery to other bilateral contracts, including export to international customers.
The NERC noted that the current international and bilateral contracts with Generation Companies (Gencos) were based on best-endeavour and with loose terms that are often below the minimum contract standards currently operated in the industry.
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