Tegbe admits Nigeria’s electricity challenges are deep-rooted, promises reforms targeting metering gaps, transmission stability, and accountability in the sector

Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has acknowledged that Nigerians should not expect immediate 24-hour electricity supply, but assured that tangible improvements in power delivery will be noticeable in the near term.

He made the statement on Wednesday during his screening before a Senate committee, where he addressed the persistent challenges facing Nigeria’s electricity sector.

Tegbe described the power industry as central to national productivity and economic growth, stressing that fixing its long-standing inefficiencies remains one of the country’s most difficult reform tasks.

According to him, despite years of investments and policy interventions, Nigerians continue to experience unstable power supply, estimated billing issues, and a general lack of confidence in the system.

“I will not stand here and say tomorrow I will give you 24 hours electricity. But what I will tell you, and I will be very honest about it, is that I will ensure visible improvement is seen across the country in the shortest time possible,” he said.

“I will replace uncertainty for Nigerians with clarity, and inefficiency with discipline.”

The minister revealed that Nigeria is currently battling a 44 percent metering gap, noting that while recent efforts have led to the distribution of millions of meters, significant work still lies ahead to close the shortfall.

He outlined key priorities for his administration, including improving electricity distribution, stabilising gas supply for generation, strengthening transmission infrastructure, and enforcing greater accountability and transparency across the sector.

Tegbe also emphasised the need for tariff reforms, stating that pricing must reflect the quality of service delivered in order to make the system more sustainable.

“We must reduce system disturbances and strengthen transmission. Tariffs must reflect services, and tariffs must justify service. We must close the trust gap between operators and our citizens,” he added.