Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has announced that recent electricity supply disruptions affecting parts of the country have been addressed, assuring Nigerians that efforts are underway to maintain stability on the national grid.
Tegbe gave the assurance on Monday during an appearance on a TVC television programme monitored by TheCable.
On November 7, the minister had attributed the outages recorded in four states, including Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory, to scheduled maintenance at Egbin Power Station, gas supply shortages and alleged sabotage of transmission lines.
He explained that maintenance work at the power station, alongside inadequate gas supply to some thermal plants, had reduced electricity generation and affected the amount of power available on the national grid.
However, speaking on Monday, Tegbe said the maintenance had been completed and the recent challenges had been 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 disclosed that electricity had returned to several parts of Lagos, particularly along the Lagos corridor, as of Sunday night.
“I’m sure in Lagos, I confirm as at last night because I made personal calls, Ajah, Leki, Ikoyi, Magodo, Ikeja, lights are back,” he said.
He added that residents had confirmed the restoration through messages sent to him, while appealing for patience as the government worked to address the country’s electricity challenges.
“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 further expressed optimism that Nigeria would achieve a more dependable electricity supply within the next three to five years.
“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,” he said.
He noted that improving electricity supply would require significant investment in infrastructure and increased capacity to meet growing demand.
“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.”
FG Plans $2bn East-West Super Grid
The minister also revealed that the Federal Government was planning to invest $2bn in an east-west super grid project aimed at expanding the country’s electricity transmission capacity to 19,000 megawatts.
According to Tegbe, the proposed infrastructure will strengthen the existing transmission network rather than replace it, making the national grid more resilient and reliable.
He said the project would stretch across the country, connecting Funtua, Gwagwalada, Ikot Ekpene, Benin, Epe and Ilorin.
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The minister disclosed that procurement activities for the project had commenced, adding that construction could be completed within two years.
He said the initiative was expected to raise the grid’s capacity from approximately 4,000 megawatts to 19,000 megawatts.
Tegbe also expressed expectations that private investors would begin participating 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 concern was to maximise the performance of existing electricity infrastructure while working towards long-term improvements.
The minister appealed to Nigerians to remain patient, acknowledging the difficulties households and businesses face as a result of inadequate power supply.