Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has acknowledged that many Nigerians are yet to experience dependable electricity, despite steps taken by the Federal Government to address challenges in the power sector.

Tegbe made the admission while marking his first three months as minister, saying the government would not pretend that improvements in the sector had been fully felt by electricity consumers.

He said fixing the country’s power system would require sustained reforms rather than promises of an immediate solution.

According to the minister, the government is focused on improving grid stability, electricity supply, metering, billing and the handling of consumer complaints.

Tegbe also said there is currently no plan to increase electricity tariffs, describing the position as a firm policy decision rather than a political statement.

Since assuming office, the minister said his team had concentrated on identifying and addressing longstanding problems affecting electricity generation and distribution.

One of the projects highlighted was the restoration of the 375-megawatt Alaoji power plant, which had remained out of operation for about three years.

The ministry also worked on increasing available transmission capacity in Lagos, Abuja and other parts of the country, according to Tegbe.

He said the government had further mobilised funds to tackle the power sector’s accumulated debt, which has continued to affect the operations of players across the electricity value chain.

On metering, Tegbe said more than 350,000 electricity meters had been deployed following the resolution of legal issues involving the Association of Meter Manufacturers of Nigeria.

The minister said the administration would continue to prioritise reforms aimed at improving the reliability of the national grid and ensuring consumers receive more accurate electricity bills.

He added that the government would maintain communication with Nigerians about both the progress made and the challenges that remain unresolved.

Tegbe said the Federal Government’s approach is centred on gradual and sustainable improvements rather than temporary measures that could fail to address the underlying problems in the power sector.