Power Minister Admits Nigerians Still Lack Reliable Electricity

The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has admitted that many Nigerians are still without reliable electricity despite ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to improve power supply across the country.

Tegbe, who made the admission in a post on his X handle on Tuesday, acknowledged the frustration of Nigerians who were yet to feel the impact of reforms and interventions in the power sector since he assumed office three months ago.

The minister said the government had spent much of the period diagnosing and addressing longstanding challenges that had continued to undermine electricity generation, transmission and distribution.

According to him, one of the major interventions was the restoration of the 375-megawatt Alaoji power plant in Abia State, which had remained offline for three years.

He also said the government had worked to unlock transmission capacity in Lagos, Abuja and other parts of the country, while mobilising funds to address the sector’s longstanding debt burden.

“We spent much of this period on diagnosis and repair; restoring the 375MW Alaoji plant after three years offline, unlocking transmission capacity in Lagos, Abuja and other places, mobilising funds toward a debt burden that has quietly undermined this sector for years,” Tegbe said.

The minister further disclosed that more than 350,000 electricity meters had been deployed following the resolution of what he described as a legal dispute involving the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors and manufacturers.

Despite the interventions, Tegbe admitted that they had yet to translate into reliable electricity supply for many Nigerians.

“Admittedly, many Nigerians are still without reliable power, and I understand the frustration of hearing about progress you haven’t personally felt yet. I’m not going to pretend that away,” he said.

Tegbe said reforming Nigeria’s power sector would take time and sustained efforts, stressing that he would not make promises of quick solutions that could not be maintained.

He also dismissed concerns over a possible increase in electricity tariffs, saying there was no plan by the government to raise tariffs.

“To be clear: there’s no plan to raise tariffs, and this is no political statement,” the minister said.

He reiterated the government’s commitment to improving grid stability, ensuring more reliable electricity supply and enhancing billing accuracy.

According to Tegbe, the government is also working to ensure that complaints from electricity consumers are resolved more quickly.

The minister thanked officials in the power sector for their efforts under difficult conditions and acknowledged Nigerians who continued to engage the government over challenges affecting electricity supply.

“We’re not there yet, but we’re moving,” he said.