Nigeria’s Minister-designate for Power, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, has refuted media reports claiming he pledged to end the country’s recurrent national power grid collapses within 100 days of assuming office, describing the assertions as inaccurate and misleading.
In a statement issued on Thursday by his spokesperson, Adeola Adelabu, Tegbe clarified that no such commitment was made during his Senate screening on May 6, 2026. The clarification follows widespread reports suggesting the minister-designate had guaranteed a complete resolution of Nigeria’s persistent electricity grid problems within a 100-day timeframe.
According to the statement, Tegbe had clearly explained during the screening that timelines for major reforms in the power sector are still being developed and would depend on technical diagnostics and consultations with key stakeholders.
The minister-designate assured lawmakers that initial efforts aimed at stabilising the national grid would commence within his first 100 days in office. However, he acknowledged that deeper structural reforms addressing sector credibility, gas supply, metering, and operational efficiency could take significantly longer—potentially up to one year—to achieve meaningful progress.
“My promise to this chamber and to Nigeria is that Nigerians will see visible improvement in the sector,” Tegbe was quoted as telling senators.
He further pledged to stabilise the national grid, modernise electricity infrastructure, strengthen commercial frameworks within the sector, and enforce accountability across the entire power value chain.
On electricity tariff reforms, the statement said Tegbe assured that vulnerable households would be protected as the government works to balance affordability, sector sustainability, investor confidence, and operational efficiency.
The statement also emphasised that the minister-designate remains open to constructive engagement with the media and encouraged journalists to seek clarification where necessary to avoid misinformation. According to the spokesperson, Tegbe views the media as critical partners in nation-building and in helping Nigerians understand the scope and direction of proposed reforms in the power sector.
Nigeria’s electricity sector continues to face major challenges, including repeated national grid collapses, inadequate generation capacity, weak transmission infrastructure, gas supply constraints, poor metering, and mounting debts across the value chain.
Tegbe’s clarification comes amid heightened public expectations over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s ability to address the country’s longstanding electricity crisis and improve power supply to homes and businesses. – GSF