ABUJA, NIGERIA — The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to ending the persistent blackouts plaguing the nation, pledging increased investments in power infrastructure and a comprehensive upgrade of the national grid to ensure reliable electricity supply across Nigeria.
Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, made the pledge during a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, following a high-level meeting with stakeholders in the power sector. The meeting, which brought together officials from the Ministry of Power, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, and representatives of power generation and distribution companies, focused on addressing the systemic challenges that have continued to hamper electricity supply in the country.
Adelabu acknowledged the frustration of Nigerians who have endured decades of erratic power supply, describing the situation as unacceptable and assuring citizens that the administration of President Bola Tinubu is determined to implement lasting solutions. “We understand the pain and inconvenience that power outages cause to individuals, families, and businesses. This administration is fully committed to ending this cycle of darkness and ensuring that every Nigerian has access to reliable and affordable electricity,” he stated.
The Minister outlined a multi-pronged approach to addressing the power crisis, which includes the expansion of generation capacity through the completion of stalled power projects, the rehabilitation and upgrade of transmission infrastructure, and the enhancement of distribution networks to reduce technical and commercial losses. He also noted that the government was actively working to improve the liquidity of the power sector by ensuring that electricity tariffs reflect the true cost of generation and distribution while protecting vulnerable consumers through targeted subsidies.
Adelabu revealed that several new power projects are at advanced stages of completion, with expected contributions to the national grid in the coming months. He also announced that the government had secured financing from international development partners to support the modernisation of the transmission network, which has been identified as a major bottleneck in the sector. The transmission infrastructure, he said, would be upgraded to reduce bottlenecks and enable the evacuation of power from new generation facilities to load centres across the country.
“We are not just making promises; we are taking concrete steps to deliver results,” Adelabu said. “The transmission and distribution networks are receiving significant attention, and we are addressing the challenges of gas supply to power plants, which has been a persistent constraint on generation capacity.”
The Minister also called on state governments and the private sector to partner with the Federal Government in developing off-grid and renewable energy solutions to supplement the national grid. He noted that solar, wind, and hydroelectric power would play an increasingly important role in Nigeria’s energy mix, providing clean and sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels.
The pledge comes amid growing public discontent over the state of electricity supply, with many Nigerians resorting to expensive alternative sources of power such as generators and solar panels to meet their energy needs. The Federal Government’s renewed commitment to ending blackouts is expected to be closely monitored, with Nigerians eager to see tangible improvements in the power sector. For now, the government’s message is clear: the era of chronic power outages is coming to an end, and a new era of reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity supply is on the horizon.
