MANY NIGERIANS STILL LACK RELIABLE ELECTRICITY — POWER MINISTER

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 said he understood the frustration of Nigerians who had yet to experience the improvements being recorded in the power sector since he assumed office in June.

The minister said the government had spent much of the past few months diagnosing and addressing longstanding challenges in the sector, including restoring the 375-megawatt Alaoji power plant after it had remained offline for about three years.

He also disclosed that the government had deployed more than 350,000 electricity meters and was working to unlock additional metering capacity. Tegbe said the government had also raised about N1.23 trillion towards addressing part of the sector’s estimated N3.3 trillion debt backlog.

However, Tegbe admitted that the measures had not yet translated into reliable electricity for many Nigerians, acknowledging that improvements recorded in some areas had not been felt by everyone.

He said the government would continue working on grid stability, electricity supply and billing accuracy, while also improving the resolution of consumer complaints. Tegbe added that there was currently no plan to increase electricity tariffs.