Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, says his first 100 days in office have focused on diagnosing longstanding challenges, stabilising the electricity sector and laying the foundation for sustainable improvements in power supply.
Tegbe stated this while presenting an assessment of his first 100 days in office, acknowledging the contributions of agencies under the Ministry, development partners, engineers and technicians working to keep the electricity system operational despite existing challenges.
According to the Minister, an assessment conducted upon his assumption of office revealed constraints across the electricity value chain, including limited gas supply to power stations, ageing generation equipment, deferred maintenance and stalled projects.
He said the assessment also revealed that only about 27 per cent of generation companies’ bills were being paid, affecting their ability to maintain power plants and meet obligations to gas suppliers.
On transmission, Tegbe identified vandalised towers and lines, overstretched equipment and frequent tripping as some of the challenges affecting the network.
He said distribution companies were also grappling with aggregate technical, commercial and collection losses of between 30 and 40 per cent, alongside inadequate metering, estimated billing, damaged assets and weak payment discipline.
The Minister further disclosed that electricity debts owed by ministries, departments and agencies exceeded N100 billion, while inflation and foreign exchange pressures continued to increase costs across the sector.
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Tegbe said the government had raised an estimated N1.23 trillion towards settling the backlog of power-sector debt as part of a broader programme to address approximately N3.3 trillion in sector liabilities and improve liquidity.
On renewable energy, the Minister highlighted the commissioning of a 3-megawatt solar hybrid system at Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja, designed to support more than 50,000 students and staff.
He also listed a 20MW off-grid initiative in Kogi, a 3.5MW solar project in Kebbi, a 5.5MW mini-grid in Epe and 39 mini-grids in Adamawa expected to provide nearly 27MW of electricity to 40,000 households, 6,000 small businesses and more than 100 public institutions.
Tegbe also highlighted the launch of the Renewable Asset Management Company, RAMCO, which is expected to professionally manage publicly financed renewable energy infrastructure and mobilise about N3 trillion over the coming years.
On transmission infrastructure and investment, the Minister said engagements with international partners were advancing projects aimed at strengthening the national grid, expanding renewable energy and developing local manufacturing capacity.
He also noted the signing of a cooperation agreement with Huawei Technologies covering grid digitalisation, loss reduction, SCADA gap assessment and technical training for power-sector personnel.
On the Mambila Hydropower Project, Tegbe said the Federal Government remained committed to ensuring that the project delivers electricity to Nigerians, including exploring a phased implementation where necessary.
Looking ahead, the Minister said the next phase of reforms would concentrate on four interconnected priorities, including deeper grid stabilisation along the Lagos, Enugu–Port Harcourt and Abuja–Kaduna–Kano transmission corridors.
He said the government would also advance development of the Transmission Super Grid, improve utilisation of existing electricity assets and prepare infrastructure required to meet future power demand.
Tegbe acknowledged that progress recorded at the national level may not yet be reflected in the electricity supply experienced by every Nigerian community.
According to him, the government’s responsibility is to ensure that improvements eventually reach more communities while communicating clearly about challenges that remain unresolved.
The Minister said the next six months would focus on translating ongoing reforms and infrastructure interventions into more visible improvements in electricity supply reliability, billing accuracy and resolution of consumer complaints.
He urged communities to support efforts to protect critical electricity infrastructure against vandalism and theft, while calling for continued cooperation among government, industry stakeholders and Nigerians.
Tegbe said the first 100 days had laid the groundwork for sustained repair and stabilisation of the electricity sector, with the government committed to practical and measurable improvements in power supply.
