Ineffective municipal solid waste (MSW) management is one of the major impediments to the realisation of sustainable development goals by developing countries. Prudent waste quantification and characterisation are essential for the planning and execution of sound waste management, including energy recovery. This study, therefore, analysed the power generation potentials of MSW in Abuja, Nigeria for possible evacuation to the national grid. The city's MSW generation rate was determined followed by in-depth physico-chemical and thermal analyses of the waste samples taken from the Gosa dumpsite. The results revealed that plastic bottles (14.74%) and food residues (14.64%) dominated the waste streams. Furthermore, of the 257,628 tons/year of MSW produced at the rate of 0.53 kg/person/day, 69.17% can guarantee continuous and sustainable energy production via incineration. The energy, power, and grid power potentials of these waste components were found as 2,274.42 MWh, 28.43 MW, and 19.19 MW respectively. Compared to the on-grid thermal power stations in the country, this waste-to-energy pathway can save 67.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year. It is anticipated that this study will serve as a model for achieving the SDG agenda, particularly in Nigeria.