Seeks media partnership to strengthen public trust, highlights progress on power sector reforms
Lagos, November 14, 2026
The Minister of Power, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, has reaffirmed the Tinubu administration’s commitment to transforming Nigeria’s electricity sector through sustained reforms, infrastructure investment and improved service delivery.
Speaking at an interactive luncheon with senior editors in Lagos on Friday, Tegbe acknowledged Nigerians’ frustration over unreliable electricity supply, assuring them that the Federal Government was addressing the sector’s longstanding challenges through coordinated, measurable interventions.
He stressed that rebuilding public confidence would require not only improved electricity supply but also transparency, accountability and sustained engagement with the media.
The Minister described the sector’s challenges as systemic, citing gas supply constraints, ageing infrastructure, vandalism, transmission constraints, poor metering and commercial challenges affecting the entire electricity value chain.
According to him, these interconnected problems require disciplined reform implementation rather than isolated interventions or short-term solutions.
Highlighting progress, Tegbe disclosed that the Federal Government had settled ₦1.23 trillion of the ₦3.3 trillion approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for verified legacy debts owed to electricity generation companies.
He further revealed that more than 2.8 million electricity customers had been metered between 2023 and October 2026 under the Presidential Metering Initiative, while recently commissioned substations and equipment had added over 1,300MVA to national transmission capacity.
The transmission improvements cover locations including Apapa, Ijora, Ikeja, Kumbotoso, Dankata, Mashi, Dan-Agundi, Biliri and Walalambe.
Other interventions include building a new National Grid Control Centre in Osogbo to replace the existing facility, which is over 60 years old, alongside efforts to expand generation capacity to 10,000MW.
Looking ahead, Tegbe outlined the Ministry’s corridor-based electricity development strategy, targeting the Lagos-Ogun, Benin-Enugu-Port Harcourt and Abuja-Kaduna-Kano economic corridors as critical energy zones.
He explained that the Lagos-Ogun axis and Abuja franchise area, which together account for more than 50 per cent of national electricity demand, would serve as proposed pilot locations for 24-hour energy zones, subject to technical readiness and commercial viability.
The initiative seeks to align generation, transmission and distribution capacity with demand in major economic centres.
On infrastructure security, the Minister disclosed that the Federal Government had approved a coordinated anti-vandalism campaign involving relevant security agencies, supported by stronger legal measures to protect critical electricity assets.
Addressing the role of the media, Tegbe called for a constructive partnership built on factual reporting, professional scrutiny and transparent communication of government interventions.
He emphasised that Nigerians deserved timely explanations of electricity disruptions, remedial actions and the responsibilities of institutions across the power value chain.
While acknowledging that the sector remained far from meeting national expectations, the Minister expressed confidence that sustained reforms, institutional collaboration and disciplined implementation would progressively improve electricity supply.
He assured the editors that the Ministry would maintain open communication channels, welcome constructive criticism and provide regular updates on reform implementation.
Tegbe reiterated that the ultimate measure of success would not be installed capacity or policy announcements alone, but tangible improvements in electricity supply to Nigerian homes, businesses and industries.
