At the 106th Power Dialogue hosted by The Electricity Hub, energy experts and stakeholders called for urgent decentralisation of Nigeria’s power grid and the promotion of regional mini-grids to address longstanding infrastructure and transmission bottlenecks.
Held under the theme “Power in Pages: Future Outlook of NIRP/NIEP-SIP,” the event spotlighted the National Integrated Resource Plan (NIRP) and the National Integrated Electricity Policy and Strategic Implementation Plan (NIEP-SIP) as pivotal frameworks for reshaping the country’s energy future.
“We need to upgrade the grid and promote a decentralised grid and mini-grids across regions,” said Ezuma Okoronkwo, Head of Gas Business at STATA Power Utility Ltd. “Upgrading the grid infrastructure and setting up subnational grids is expensive, but necessary.
This phased approach will help achieve grid expansion.”Frank Edozie, Team Lead for the United Kingdom-Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNIAF), highlighted the importance of strategic planning. “The IRP is not static. It must evolve to reflect changing realities.
Structured, least-cost energy delivery is key because the end users bear the final cost,” he noted.Adedayo Olowoniyi, Chief Technical Adviser to the Honourable Minister of Power, described the NIRP as a “comprehensive document designed to facilitate end-to-end energy planning” with a goal of delivering affordable power through data-driven strategies.
He warned that replicating the national power development model at the state level would be a mistake. “Subnational electricity markets must chart their own course with tailored generation, transmission, and distribution plans,” he advised.
Olowoniyi also revealed that Mission 300, a new initiative under the Ministry of Power, focuses on ensuring the financial viability of utilities. “Evaluations show 95% of utilities in Africa are not sustainable.
Nigeria’s open-ended subsidy system is heartbreaking—those who need it least benefit the most,” he said.Stakeholders agreed that implementation remains a critical challenge. “Since 2001, Nigeria has developed over ten energy frameworks. Our problem isn’t lack of policy—it’s weak implementation,” said Ani Nkem Nnenne, Legal Consultant and moderator of the event.
“A policy won’t add 1MW to the grid. Only implementation strategies will.”Edozie added that the NIEP-SIP aims to attract private investment, with clear returns projected over 25–30 years. He also said states could localise IRP data to suit their specific electricity markets, with updated figures fed back into the national plan.
“Segmenting the grid into zones will help optimise access and affordability,” he said.Okoronkwo noted other major hurdles: over ₦4 trillion in sector debt, poor revenue collection, and the absence of a cost-reflective tariff system.
“These financial gaps discourage investment, and until we fix them, progress on NIEP-SIP will stall,” he said.In conclusion, experts urged the government and private sector to act fast.
As Olowoniyi put it, “The future of Nigeria’s energy sector depends on coordinated, data-backed action—today, not tomorrow.”
