Nigeria has the highest number of people without electricity in the world, with about 86 million citizens lacking access, according to Akinwunmi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB). Speaking at the 90th birthday celebration of former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon, Adesina highlighted that unreliable power supply severely hampers business operations in the country, leading to an estimated annual loss of $29 billion, or 5.6% of Nigeria’s GDP.
Adesina noted that the nation’s abundant gas and crude oil resources have not translated into reliable electricity for its population. To address this crisis, the AfDB is investing significantly in Nigeria’s electricity sector, aiming to provide access to 300 million Africans by 2030 through its partnership with the World Bank. The bank has committed over $200 million to strengthen Nigeria’s national grid and support the electrification project, targeting a major reduction in the number of people living without electricity.
As part of the Mission 300 initiative, the project aims to replace over 250,000 diesel generators, benefiting 17.5 million Nigerians and addressing the pressing electricity access gap.
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