DG NCSP, Mr. Joseph Tegbe
Susan Abayomi
Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has assured electricity consumers that power supply will gradually improve, with affected generating units expected to return to service within 48 to 72 hours as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to address disruptions across the electricity sector.
Tegbe gave the assurance in a statement on November 6, following prolonged electricity outages affecting households and businesses in four states, including Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Minister attributed the disruptions to a combination of planned maintenance at the Egbin Power Station, gas supply constraints affecting some thermal power plants and sabotage of critical electricity transmission infrastructure.
He explained that the challenges had significantly reduced electricity available for distribution through the national grid, forcing grid operators to introduce load shedding in some locations to manage the limited supply.According to him, damage to key transmission lines has further complicated the situation by restricting alternative routes for delivering electricity to affected communities, particularly in Lagos.
Acknowledging the difficulties faced by consumers, Tegbe expressed concern over the impact of the outages on households, commercial activities and businesses.
He said the Ministry of Power was working closely with relevant operators across the electricity value chain to address the challenges and restore supply in phases.
The Minister disclosed that efforts were also being intensified to improve gas availability to thermal power plants and accelerate repairs to damaged transmission infrastructure.
He stressed that resolving the situation required coordinated interventions across electricity generation, gas supply and transmission to ensure that available generating capacity could be effectively delivered to consumers.
Tegbe appealed to Nigerians for patience and understanding while technical teams work to stabilise the national grid, promising to provide further updates as restoration progresses.
The Ministry reiterated its commitment to collaborating with relevant stakeholders to resolve the immediate supply constraints and improve electricity delivery to affected communities.
