Executive Director of the Foundation for Peace Professionals (PeacePro), Abdulrazaq Hamzat, has called for improved energy accounting in Nigeria, emphasising the need for a holistic and transparent reporting system that captures the full spectrum of electricity generation beyond grid generation.
Hamzat who is a multidimensional energy expert and policy analyst, faulted the recent announcement by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) regarding a new peak generation of 5,713.60 megawatt “as misleading and incomplete,” arguing that it distorts Nigeria’s true electricity landscape.
“Nigeria’s electricity generation should not be assessed solely based on grid transmission data,” Hamzat stated.
“A proper energy accounting framework must incorporate grid-based generation, captive power, embedded generation, and independent power producer (IPP) contributions. Otherwise, we are not getting the full picture,” he added.
Hamzat noted that over 12,000MW electricity are excluded from national accounting.
According to him, while TCN celebrates a new peak generation for 2025, the statement fails to acknowledge the significant role of captive power generation, which supplies over 12,000 MW to industries, businesses, and residential areas outside the national grid.
He said: “Nigeria’s true power capacity is far greater than what TCN reports. The failure to account for captive power means we are underestimating our real generation capacity, which affects planning, investment decisions, and policymaking, adding that accurate and transparent energy accounting is essential for realistic planning for Nigeria’s energy future.”
Hamzat also called for coordinated energy accounting among regulatory agencies.
According to him, relevant government agencies, including Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), and Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET) should collaborate to account for investments in captive power and embedded generation when valuing the overall power sector.
Specifically, he proposed a unified national energy database to capture all forms of power generation in Nigeria.
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He also called on the agencies to account for private sector investments in captive power and embedded generation in national reporting.
He concluded by calling for end to misleading record breaking announcements.
Hamzat said: “Nigeria’s energy future depends on accurate data, strategic planning, and a commitment to systemic reforms.”
He noted that, while Nigeria continued to make efforts toward improving its electricity supply, celebrating marginal grid peak increments without addressing core issues like underutilised capacity, transmission failures, and unaccounted energy sources is counterproductive.
He called for a shift from mere announcements to real progress, emphasising that Nigeria’s energy future depended on “accurate data, strategic planning, and a commitment to systemic reforms.”