Susan Abayomi
The Minister of Power, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, has outlined key developments in Nigeria’s electricity sector during his first 100 days in office, including a peak generation figure of 5,330MW, the installation of about 350,000 new meters and the mobilisation of ₦1.23 trillion towards the sector’s outstanding debts.
Tegbe disclosed the figures while addressing journalists at a media parley in Abuja, where he said the Federal Government’s immediate focus had been on stabilising the electricity value chain before pursuing wider infrastructure expansion.
According to the Minister, the 375MW Alaoji open-cycle power plant was restored to the national grid after remaining offline for three years.
He added that interventions on the transmission network in Lagos and Abuja had created an additional 912MW of transmission capacity.
Tegbe explained that newly commissioned transformers at Apapa, Ijora, Alausa and Lekki accounted for 672MW, while a 300MVA transformer energised at Katampe provided another 240MW.
He said generation and transmission levels had surpassed 5,000MW in recent weeks, compared with the 3,700MW to 4,700MW range recorded before June. A peak of 5,330MW was subsequently recorded in August and September.
The Minister, however, stressed that the priority was to translate improvements recorded across the power system into more reliable electricity for consumers.
₦1.23trn Mobilised for Power-Sector Debt
Tegbe said approximately ₦1.23 trillion had been mobilised towards addressing the power sector’s accumulated debt, which he estimated at about ₦3.3 trillion.
He noted that resolving the sector’s liquidity challenges was necessary to prevent financial difficulties in one part of the electricity value chain from affecting the others.
The Minister also disclosed that measures implemented along the Ikorodu-Sagamu industrial corridor had helped tackle electricity theft and revenue losses estimated at ₦120 billion annually.
350,000 Meters Installed
Tegbe identified metering as a major component of efforts to improve transparency in electricity billing and strengthen consumer confidence.
He said about 350,000 meters were installed within the first 100 days, taking cumulative installations to 1,004,260 as of August 2026.
He further disclosed that the resolution of the AMMON litigation had cleared the way for the procurement of approximately 1.4 million smart meters, while metering across military formations had reached 90,000 installations.
The Minister added that 5,000 young Nigerians were being trained as smart-meter installers under the Power Force programme to support further deployment.
According to him, expanded metering would help replace estimated billing with actual consumption data while improving accountability across the electricity market.
Government Rules Out Electricity Tariff Increase
Tegbe also addressed concerns over electricity tariffs, stating that the Federal Government currently had no plan to increase electricity tariffs.
“Let me categorically state—and this is not a political statement—we have no plan to increase electricity tariffs,” he said.
Over 300 Containers of Power Equipment Released
The Minister said the Ministry had also worked with relevant government agencies to facilitate the release of more than 300 containers of critical power equipment that had been held at the nation’s ports.
He said the equipment would undergo inspection before being deployed and installed to support transmission infrastructure.
According to Tegbe, releasing the equipment would help address the situation where power projects remained incomplete while essential equipment was held in storage.
Ministry Targets Further Grid Stabilisation
Looking ahead, Tegbe said the Ministry would intensify efforts to strengthen the grid along the Lagos, Enugu-Port Harcourt and Abuja-Kaduna-Kano corridors.
He disclosed that technical audits had commenced along the Lagos and Abuja corridors to identify infrastructure weaknesses and determine areas requiring further investment.
The Ministry is also expected to advance plans for the Transmission Super Grid, improve the utilisation of existing generation and distribution infrastructure and prepare the electricity network for future demand.
Tegbe said the first 100 days had established a foundation for continued repair and stabilisation of the sector, with the Ministry expected to track progress through indicators covering electricity supply reliability, billing accuracy, fault resolution and consumer complaints.
