By Ayomide Otitoju
The Federal Government has dismissed reports of an imminent electricity tariff increase, reaffirming its commitment to improving power supply across the country through ongoing reforms and strategic investments.
Minister of Power, Joseph Olasunhanmi Tegbe, made the clarification during a stakeholders’ engagement with industry players and the media in Lagos on Friday, saying the administration remains focused on delivering reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity for Nigerians.
According to the minister, the government is implementing measures under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to address the country’s longstanding electricity challenges while strengthening transparency, accountability and collaboration within the sector.
Tegbe said the reforms are aimed at making electricity more accessible, improving grid reliability, ensuring the financial sustainability of the power market and restoring investor confidence.
“Our objective is clear: to make electricity more available, make the grid more reliable, make the market financially sustainable and restore investor confidence. Ultimately, we want electricity to become a catalyst for national productivity rather than a constraint to economic growth,” he said.
The minister stressed that contrary to reports circulating on some media platforms, the Federal Government has no plans to increase electricity tariffs at this time.
He noted that the Presidential Metering Initiative is being accelerated to achieve universal metering, ensuring consumers are billed only for the electricity they actually use.
Tegbe added that the Tinubu administration has prioritised investments in transmission infrastructure, expanded rural electrification, strengthened coordination across the electricity value chain and continued reforms designed to attract private investment while safeguarding the public interest.
As part of efforts to bridge the country’s metering gap, the minister announced the inauguration of the Power Force, an initiative that will engage 5,000 Nigerian youths in electricity meter installation nationwide through the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN).
He also disclosed that the ministry has made significant progress in resolving long-standing meter procurement challenges and improving electricity generation, noting that the national grid has consistently generated more than 5,000 megawatts (MW) over the past two weeks.
“Our ambition is clear: reliable electricity that powers our homes, competitive electricity that powers our industries, sustainable electricity that attracts investment and inclusive electricity that reaches every Nigerian,” Tegbe said.
