Nigeria has failed to finance any major power plant projects in nearly a decade, according to former Minister of Power, Barth Nnaji, raising fresh concerns about the country’s struggling electricity sector.
Speaking on the state of the nation’s energy infrastructure, Nnaji said the absence of significant investment in large-scale power generation since 2015 has stalled progress and deepened Nigeria’s chronic electricity shortages.
Africa’s most populous country has long battled erratic power supply, with businesses and households forced to rely heavily on costly alternatives such as diesel and petrol generators. Experts say sustained investment in generation and transmission infrastructure is critical to reversing the trend.
Nnaji’s remarks highlight broader concerns about policy uncertainty, funding constraints and regulatory challenges that continue to deter investors from committing to large-scale energy projects in Nigeria.
The former minister warned that without urgent reforms and renewed financing, the country risks further setbacks in its efforts to achieve stable and reliable electricity supply, a key driver of economic growth and industrial development.
