Newly confirmed Minister of Power, Olasunkanmi Tegbe, has assured Nigerians that repeated national grid collapses, erratic electricity supply and vandalism of power infrastructure would soon be addressed through urgent reforms aimed at stabilising the country’s troubled power sector.
Tegbe gave the assurance on Wednesday during his screening at the Senate plenary in Abuja, where he was later confirmed following extensive questioning by lawmakers on the state of the electricity sector.
The screening session, presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, focused on recurring grid failures, weak transmission infrastructure and the worsening liquidity crisis in the power sector.
Lawmakers charged the new minister to deliver measurable improvements within a short period, warning that Nigerians had become frustrated with repeated promises without visible results.
Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno (Borno North) described Tegbe’s appointment as timely but stressed that the scale of the sector’s challenges required urgent and decisive action.
He lamented the recurring collapse of the national grid, describing it as a major setback to Nigeria’s industrial and economic development.
“Grid collapse has become a recurring decimal, undermining development. Transmission has failed to match generation capacity,” Monguno said.
He also blamed insecurity in parts of the North-East for worsening damage to power infrastructure.
Responding, Tegbe acknowledged that the challenges facing the sector were systemic, citing weak coordination, poor enforcement of technical standards and inadequate gas supply as major causes of instability.
“Grid collapse is not accidental; it reflects deeper structural problems,” he said.
The minister pledged to implement reforms within his first 100 days in office, including the introduction of a public performance dashboard to enable Nigerians monitor progress and hold the ministry accountable.
“If there are no results in three months, there will be none in six. Nigerians should hold us accountable,” he stated.
Tegbe also vowed to confront individuals and groups allegedly benefiting from inefficiencies in the power sector.
“There are elements that do not want the system to work because they benefit from its failure. We will take them on,” he added.
On vandalism of power infrastructure, the minister described the trend as a national security threat and pledged closer collaboration with security agencies, including the Office of the National Security Adviser and the military, to safeguard critical assets.
He further acknowledged the sector’s liquidity crisis, estimated at about N6 trillion, admitting that the current financial model was unsustainable.
According to him, reforms would include market-reflective tariffs while ensuring affordability for vulnerable Nigerians.
“Electricity pricing must reflect market realities, but affordability remains essential. We will ensure a fair balance,” he said.
Lawmakers, including Senator Tokunbo Abiru (Lagos East), demanded clear timelines for achieving stable electricity supply, stressing that reliable power remained critical to economic growth and job creation.
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North) also criticised the fragmentation of the sector into generation, transmission and distribution companies, saying the lack of synergy had worsened inefficiency.
In response, Tegbe assured lawmakers that his reform agenda would prioritise stronger coordination across the electricity value chain, improved gas supply to generation companies and accelerated nationwide metering to reduce estimated billing and improve revenue collection.
On rural electrification, he said the government would expand mini-grid and renewable energy solutions, particularly solar power, to underserved communities.
“Decentralised energy will be key to reaching underserved communities and ensuring inclusive access,” he said.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin described the power sector as Nigeria’s biggest obstacle to economic competitiveness and urged the new minister to focus on delivering results.
“Our industries cannot thrive without reliable electricity. What we need now are results, not assurances,” he said.
Despite the rigorous screening, lawmakers expressed confidence in Tegbe’s capacity to drive reforms in the sector, citing his professional background and proposed reform agenda.
In his closing remarks, the minister reiterated his commitment to transparency, discipline and collaboration in addressing the country’s electricity challenges.
“This is a difficult assignment, but progress is achievable with transparency, discipline and collaboration. Nigerians will see change,” he said.
