24/7 Electricity Not Assured For Nigerians, Says New Power Minister Tegbe

Tegbe made this known during his screening before the Senate on Wednesday, where he outlined his plans for reforming the electricity industry if confirmed. He emphasized that while electricity remains central to national development, the sector is still burdened by long-standing challenges including unstable power supply, billing inefficiencies, and a lack of trust between consumers and operators.

The minister explained that instead of making unrealistic promises, his focus would be on delivering gradual but visible progress that Nigerians can feel within a short period. He also highlighted that the country continues to face a significant metering gap estimated at about 44 percent, although government interventions have reportedly led to the distribution of millions of meters, with more efforts still required.

Tegbe further stated that attention would be directed toward strengthening electricity distribution, stabilizing gas supply for generation, improving transmission infrastructure, and enhancing transparency and accountability across the sector.

He noted that recurring system collapses are not random events but symptoms of deeper structural issues that require firm and sustained reforms. According to him, Nigerians should begin to expect accountability, with performance to be assessed in months rather than years.

The minister also warned that certain vested interests benefit from the current inefficiencies in the system, adding that such challenges would be confronted as part of broader reforms.

In his words, he stressed that he would not promise immediate 24-hour electricity but assured Nigerians of visible improvements, stronger discipline in operations, and efforts to replace inefficiency with accountability within the shortest possible time frame.