Nigeria's Power Minister Joseph Olasunkami Tegbe has marked 100 days in office with a report that highlights modest achievements in the country's power sector. The report, titled "100 Days of Modest Achievements," acknowledges that many Nigerians continue to face unreliable electricity and high costs of self-generation. Tegbe's assessment focuses on diagnosis and stabilization, recognizing that enduring solutions require a solid foundation. This approach aims to address the sector's structural problems.
The power sector faces numerous challenges, including inadequate gas supply, ageing generation assets, transmission constraints, vandalism, distribution losses, inadequate metering, weak collections, accumulated debt, regulatory uncertainty, and inconsistent data. According to Tegbe, generation companies received only about 27% of their bills, while distribution companies faced significant technical, commercial, and collection losses. Government arrears exceeded N100 billion, with inflation and foreign-exchange pressures increasing operating costs.
Within the first 100 days, several key interventions were implemented. The 375MW Alaoji power plant was restored to the national grid after three years offline. New transformers at Apapa, Ijora, Alausa, and Lekki unlocked 672MW of transmission capacity, while a new 300MVA transformer at Katampe added another 240MW. Operational records showed that generation and transmission exceeded 5,000MW over several weeks, compared to a previous range of 3,700MW-4,700MW.
The interventions have not yet resulted in reliable electricity nationwide. However, they demonstrate progress in the sector. Over 300 containers containing critical power equipment were unlocked from ports for deployment into the transmission network. This development addresses a significant bottleneck in the sector, where unfinished projects and stranded equipment often coexist.
Tegbe's program rests on three pillars: stabilizing the value chain, restoring market discipline, and strengthening governance. The Minister reported that approximately N1.23 trillion was raised towards settling the power-sector debt backlog, part of a wider program addressing an estimated N3.3 trillion in sector debt. Interventions against energy theft and revenue losses along the Ikorodu-Sagamu corridor were also implemented.
The metering gap is being addressed, with approximately 350,000 meters installed during the first 100 days. Cumulative installations reached 1,004,260 as of August 2026. The resolution of the AMMON litigation unlocked procurement of about 1.4 million smart meters across affected programs. Additionally, 5,000 young Nigerians are being trained as smart-meter installers.
The Ministry also reported progress in off-grid electrification, with 62 completed solar and mini-grid installations across 30 states. These installations represent approximately 43.6MW of installed solar capacity and 41,735 new connections, benefiting over 208,000 people. The creation of the Renewable Asset Management Company, RAMCO, aims to professionally manage publicly financed renewable-energy assets.
Key points
- The Minister's report emphasizes modest achievements, focusing on diagnosis and stabilization.
- Interventions have been implemented to address structural problems, including inadequate gas supply and transmission constraints.
- The sector's progress will be measured against benchmarks, including supply reliability, billing accuracy, and resolution of faults and complaints.
