Obi Pledges 10,000MW Power Boost

Former Anambra State Governor and 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has pledged to increase Nigeria’s electricity generation and distribution capacity to 10,000 megawatts (MW) within four years if elected president.

Obi made the promise on Saturday after emerging as the party’s presidential candidate during the NDC national convention in Abuja. The former governor, who was ratified as the party’s sole candidate for the 2027 election, said improving electricity supply and tackling unemployment would be among the key priorities of his administration.

He argued that Nigeria’s current power generation levels are inadequate for a country of more than 200 million people and stressed that sustained economic growth would remain difficult without reliable electricity.

Obi Targets Major Expansion in Power Supply

Speaking during his acceptance speech, Obi described Nigeria’s electricity situation as unacceptable, noting that millions of Nigerians still lack access to power despite the country’s vast human and natural resources.

According to him, Nigeria currently generates and distributes about 4,000MW of electricity, a figure he said falls far short of what is needed to support businesses, industries and households.

Obi compared Nigeria’s electricity output with that of South Africa and Egypt, noting that both countries generate more than 40,000MW despite having significantly smaller populations.

“Today, Nigeria is a country with the highest number of citizens without access to electricity in the whole world. About 100 million Nigerians don’t have access to electricity,” he said.

“A country of over 200 million people only generates and distributes 4,000 megawatts. The biggest economies in Africa — South Africa and Egypt — generate over 40,000 megawatts today.

“We are not even producing 10 per cent of what these two African nations are producing and distributing. Both of them are less than 50 per cent of our population and yet generate about 10 times the electricity we generate.”

The former governor pledged that an NDC-led administration would invest heavily in the power sector and work towards raising generation and distribution capacity to at least 10,000MW within its first term in office.

“I pledge on behalf of our government that in four years, this country will generate and distribute at least 10,000 megawatts from the 4,000 they are doing today,” he added.

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Nigeria’s Power Deficit Remains a Major Challenge

Nigeria has long struggled with inadequate electricity supply despite repeated reforms and investments aimed at improving the sector. According to reports gathered by RMNews360, unreliable power remains one of the biggest obstacles to economic growth, industrial development and job creation across the country.

Many businesses continue to depend on diesel and petrol generators to operate, significantly increasing production costs and limiting competitiveness. Households also face frequent power outages, forcing residents to seek alternative energy sources.

The Federal Government recently reported a modest increase in electricity generation, with output rising from 3,951MW on March 28 to more than 4,300MW by April 10, 2026. However, energy experts maintain that current generation levels remain far below national demand.

Analysts have repeatedly argued that Nigeria requires tens of thousands of megawatts of electricity to adequately serve its growing population and support industrial expansion.

Obi Questions Unemployment Data

Beyond electricity, Obi also raised concerns about the country’s unemployment figures, disputing data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) which placed Nigeria’s unemployment rate at 4.3 per cent in the second quarter of 2024.

The former presidential candidate argued that the statistics do not accurately reflect the economic realities facing many Nigerians, particularly young people searching for jobs and business opportunities.

He said his administration would adopt a more transparent approach to addressing unemployment by supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, encouraging investment and providing incentives to businesses capable of creating jobs.

According to Obi, economic growth cannot be achieved without simultaneously addressing the challenges of unemployment and inadequate infrastructure.

As political activities ahead of the 2027 elections begin to gather momentum, Obi’s pledge signals a renewed focus on power sector reform and job creation. Whether his proposed target of 10,000MW can be achieved within a single term remains to be seen, but the commitment is likely to feature prominently in debates over Nigeria’s economic future and development priorities.

Segun Lasisi

A Lagos-based journalist with a passion for disseminating factual information and a deep appreciation for good music, good food, movies, and beautiful cars. He hopes to travel the world someday, documenting its beauty and diverse cultures through his storytelling.