The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council has acknowledged that President Bola Tinubu has yet to fully resolve Nigeria's electricity challenges, three years after assuming office. However, the council's spokesperson, Dele Alake, defended the administration's record, saying Tinubu had taken consistent steps to address the structural, institutional, and financial challenges that have hindered the sector for over five decades.
Alake made this statement in response to recent commentaries that reproduced Tinubu's 2023 campaign promise to end estimated billing and ensure stable electricity supply without including the concluding qualification. Tinubu had promised that Nigerians would have electricity and not pay for estimated bills anymore, adding that he would relocate to Kano for two weeks to deliver on the promise if need be. Alake argued that a fair assessment should consider the full statement and the administration's performance since 2023.
According to Alake, Tinubu signed the Electricity Act, 2023, on June 9, less than two weeks after assuming office, allowing state governments to participate in electricity generation, transmission, and distribution. Several states, including Lagos, Enugu, Abia, Ekiti, Oyo, Kaduna, and Niger, have begun taking advantage of the legislation by establishing their electricity regulatory agencies and attracting private investment into their power sectors.
The administration inherited over N6 trillion in accumulated legacy debts between 2015 and 2025 and introduced measures to address the financial burden. A N4 trillion bond program was established to settle verified debts owed to 21 electricity generation companies and gas companies. The first and second tranches of the program have raised over N1.2 trillion to settle part of the verified liabilities.
Alake also highlighted the administration's efforts to address the country's metering deficit, with over 1.5 million customers receiving meters under the Presidential Metering Initiative in the last three years. Additionally, the government adjusted electricity tariffs towards cost-reflective levels to improve liquidity in the market while introducing service bands and measures to protect low-income households.
The administration is investing in substations and grid expansion, pursuing plans to modernize the Osogbo Grid Control Centre, built over 60 years ago, and construct an East-West super grid. The Rural Electrification Agency is also working to connect universities, hospitals, and rural communities to solar power. Furthermore, the Presidential Power Initiative, initiated by the previous administration, has been accelerated with German partners, with contracts approved for the first batch of five Transmission Company of Nigeria substations in key load centers.
Alake emphasized that fixing the electricity market and power sector is ongoing work, and Tinubu has not abandoned his commitment to resolving the country's electricity challenges. The administration recognizes the need to balance cost-reflective tariffs with affordable electricity for Nigerians and will continue to explore measures to improve the commercial sustainability of the sector while protecting vulnerable households.
Key points
- The administration has introduced measures to address the financial burden of accumulated legacy debts in the power sector.
- The government has invested in substations and grid expansion to improve the country's power infrastructure.
- Over 1.5 million customers have received meters under the Presidential Metering Initiative in the last three years.
