The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has announced that recent electricity supply disruptions in parts of Nigeria have been addressed, assuring citizens that the Federal Government is working to maintain stability on the national grid.
Tegbe gave the assurance on Monday during an interview on a TVC television programme.
His comments followed power outages reported in four states, including Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
On November 7, the minister blamed the disruptions on scheduled maintenance at the Egbin Power Station, gas supply constraints affecting some thermal power plants and alleged sabotage of transmission lines.
He explained that the maintenance work and limited gas supply had reduced the amount of electricity available on the national grid.
However, during Monday’s interview, Tegbe said the maintenance had been completed and the immediate supply challenges resolved.
“Number one, we’ve sorted out this little challenge we had in the last few days. It was painful for most of you. But look, we fixed it. And we will ensure that that stability remains. My focus is to ensure grid stability,” he said.
The minister also confirmed that electricity had returned to several parts of Lagos by Sunday night.
“I’m sure in Lagos, I confirm as at last night because I made personal calls, Ajah, Lekki, Ikoyi, Magodo, Ikeja, lights are back,” he said.
“And people have attested to it, people have sent me messages. Nigerians, again, I appeal to you, just bear with us, we’ll get there.”
Tegbe projected that Nigeria could achieve a more stable electricity supply within the next three to five years, adding that sustained improvements would require investment in infrastructure and increased generation and transmission capacity.
“Honestly speaking, you already see some visible improvement despite the challenge we have had. By the time we fix the grid… okay? I’ll look at the horizon of about three to five years from now,” Tegbe said.
He noted that expanding the country’s electricity infrastructure would take time, particularly as demand continues to rise from businesses, artificial intelligence applications and remote working.
“Infrastructure build out is not done overnight. Even when we fix some of the challenges we have today, we need to build the capacity.
“Everybody’s building capacity for AI, for data. Most young people work from home, and because of that, there’s a need for bandwidth and for electricity supply,” he said.
FG plans $2bn east-west super grid
The minister also revealed that the Federal Government was planning to invest $2 billion in an east-west super grid to strengthen the country’s electricity transmission network and expand its capacity.
According to Tegbe, the proposed project would work alongside existing transmission infrastructure rather than replace it, improving the resilience and stability of the national grid.
He said the planned network would extend across the country, connecting Funtua, Gwagwalada, Ikot Ekpene, Benin, Epe and Ilorin.
The minister disclosed that procurement had begun and that the project could be completed within two years.
He added that the initiative was expected to raise the grid’s transmission capacity from about 4,000 megawatts to 19,000 megawatts.
Tegbe also said the government was working towards increased private sector participation in electricity transmission within the next two to three years.
“So give me a time horizon of three to five years. Nigeria will enjoy stable life. And as demand improves, it will get better,” he said.
He maintained that the government’s immediate focus was to maximise the performance of existing electricity infrastructure to improve supply and reduce disruptions.
The minister appealed to Nigerians to remain patient, acknowledging the difficulties households and businesses face because of inadequate electricity supply.