Power Crisis: Discos justify electricity export to Togo

The Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), Sunday Oduntan, has explained why Nigeria continues to supply electricity to Togo even though many Nigerians are facing power shortages.

He said Nigeria must honour its agreement with Togo, stressing that such contracts cannot be ignored.

Oduntan explained that the issue affecting electricity supply in Nigeria is mainly due to gas shortages, which limit how much power can be generated. According to him, the government is working to fix the problem by ensuring payments are made to key players in the sector.

He also questioned the idea of stopping power supply to Togo, asking how much electricity is actually being sent compared to Nigeria’s total needs. He noted that countries like Togo pay for the electricity they receive, which helps Nigeria’s electricity companies financially.

He added that many Nigerian customers do not pay their bills or steal electricity, while international customers pay regularly. This steady payment helps ease the financial challenges facing electricity distribution companies.

Oduntan emphasized that instead of focusing on stopping exports, the government should work on increasing electricity generation. He said improving power supply depends on paying all stakeholders in the sector.

Background

Togo is interested in increasing the amount of electricity it imports from Nigeria to meet its growing energy demand.

Recently, officials from Togo’s national electricity company met with Nigeria’s Niger Delta Power Holding Company to discuss expanding their existing agreement.

Togo currently buys about 75 megawatt-hours of electricity from Nigeria. According to Togo’s officials, this supply has helped maintain stable and affordable power for homes, businesses, and public services.

They also said demand for electricity in Togo is rising, especially in industrial and commercial sectors.

What You Should Know

Nigeria continues to struggle with electricity supply, with frequent grid collapses and unstable power generation.

A recent report by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) showed that the country is dealing with low power generation and instability in the national grid.

The report also highlighted a major gap between the country’s installed electricity capacity and the actual usable power, which continues to affect reliable electricity supply.