POWER MINISTER SAYS NIGERIANS URGE HIM TO EASE PACE OF ELECTRICITY REFORMS

Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has said some electricity consumers have jokingly asked the Federal Government to slow down its efforts to improve power supply because they are now enjoying longer hours of electricity. Tegbe made the remark while speaking at the commissioning of a 3MW solar hybrid power project at Yakubu Gowon University, formerly known as the University of Abuja.

The minister said recent interventions in the power sector had improved electricity supply in areas that previously experienced prolonged outages. According to him, some communities that went for months without electricity are now receiving as much as 18 hours of supply daily, prompting some residents to call and ask him to reduce the pace of improvements because their freezers were now working continuously.

Tegbe recalled that during his Senate screening, he assured Nigerians that the impact of the government’s electricity reforms would begin to become noticeable within three to six months. He said the government was working to address longstanding problems in the sector, including ageing infrastructure, with some electricity facilities now more than 40 years old.

The minister also raised concerns about the continued vandalism of power infrastructure, citing the destruction of three major transmission towers in Birnin Kebbi. He said the towers were part of the infrastructure supplying electricity to Kebbi State and extending power to Niger Republic, adding that vandals targeted their foundations before bringing them down and cutting parts of the structures for scrap.

Tegbe said the Federal Government had established a joint working committee involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nigeria Police Force and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to help protect critical electricity infrastructure and tackle vandalism. He added that the University of Abuja solar project, which has a 3.3MW solar array, 3MW AC output capacity and battery storage, is expected to provide reliable electricity to key facilities on campus and benefit more than 58,700 students.