Currently, electricity consumption in Nigeria is heavily reliant on fossil fuels, with gas accounting for all the fossil-based generation, totaling almost 24 TWh of electricity. In contrast, low-carbon sources provide approximately 11 TWh of electricity, solely from hydropower. This means that about twice as much electricity comes from fossil sources compared to low-carbon sources, which is unfortunate given the clean energy potential. Nigeria's electricity consumption, at approximately 150 kWh per person per year, is far below the global average of 3,736 kWh per person. The low levels of electricity generation can lead to limited economic growth, reduced quality of life, and hindered development, making it critical for Nigeria to enhance its power generation capacities, particularly focusing on sustainable sources.
Data sources used on this page include EIA, Ember and IEA. More about data sources →
Is Electricity Growing in Nigeria?
Recent trends in Nigeria indicate a troubling decline in electricity consumption. In 2025, total electricity consumption has decreased to 150 kWh per person, down from a previous record of 187 kWh per person in 2023, representing a drop of nearly 20%. This decline is not confined to fossil fuels, as low-carbon electricity generation has also reduced, from a historic record of 62 kWh per person in 2002 to 48 kWh per person presently, reflecting a decrease of over 20%. These decreases in electricity consumption, especially from clean sources, highlight a worrying trend and underscore the urgent need to invest in and expand electricity generation to ensure it keeps pace with growing demands and aligns with global trends toward sustainability.
Suggestions
To increase low-carbon electricity generation, Nigeria can look to successful countries like China and India, both of which have significantly invested in solar and wind energy, generating over 1,000 TWh and nearly 300 TWh respectively from these sources. China leads with substantial solar and wind production, showcasing the potential benefits of harnessing these resources, while India's growing solar and wind capacities reflect achievable targets for emerging economies. Encouragingly, the nuclear energy sector offers vast potential for scalable, consistent power production, as evidenced by the United States' 785 TWh generation from nuclear sources. Pursuing solar, wind, and nuclear energy initiatives could help Nigeria build a robust, clean energy infrastructure, reducing pollution and promoting sustainable growth.
History
Historically, low-carbon electricity generation in Nigeria has mostly centered around hydropower, with fluctuations over the decades illustrating periods of development and decline. During the late 20th century, hydropower saw modest increases in the early 1980s and a pronounced rise in 1991 with an increase of 1.5 TWh. The early 2000s witnessed significant variances, with noteworthy growth in 2002 through a 2.3 TWh surge, though followed by declines in 2003 and 2006. More recently, notable growth occurred again with a 2.4 TWh increase in 2016 and a jump of 2.3 TWh in 2025, reflecting potential to tap into and enhance water resources sustainably. However, an overdependence on a single low-carbon source may limit resilience, highlighting the need for diversification into solar and nuclear solutions, which offer stable, year-round power generation capabilities, further supporting Nigeria's path to energy security and modernization.
