The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has acknowledged that many Nigerians are still without reliable electricity despite ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to improve power supply across the country.
Tegbe, in a post on his X handle on Tuesday, said he understood the frustration of Nigerians who had yet to experience the improvements being recorded in the power sector since he assumed office three months ago.
The minister said much of his administration’s initial focus had been on identifying and addressing longstanding challenges affecting the sector.
He cited the restoration of the 375-megawatt Alaoji power plant after it had remained offline for three years, efforts to unlock transmission capacity in Lagos, Abuja and other areas, and moves to mobilise funds towards addressing the sector’s long-standing 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,” he said.
Tegbe also 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 of Nigeria.
Despite these measures, the minister admitted that the improvements had not yet translated into reliable electricity 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.
According to Tegbe, fixing Nigeria’s power sector would require time and sustained reforms. He said he would not make promises of quick solutions that could prove unsustainable.
The minister also said there were no plans to increase electricity tariffs, stressing that his position was not politically motivated.
“To be clear: there’s no plan to raise tariffs, and this is no political statement,” he said.
Tegbe reiterated his commitment to improving grid stability, electricity supply reliability and billing accuracy, while ensuring that consumer complaints are resolved more quickly.
He also commended officials in the power sector for continuing to work under difficult conditions and thanked Nigerians who have continued to engage with the government over challenges affecting electricity supply.
“We’re not there yet, but we’re moving,” he said.
