By Zainab Bakare
The Federal Government has ruled out any immediate increase in electricity tariffs, assuring Nigerians that its priority is improving power supply, expanding metering and ending estimated billing.
Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, gave the assurance during a media roundtable in Lagos, saying the government has no policy to raise electricity tariffs beyond current levels.
Instead, he said ongoing reforms are focused on ensuring consumers pay only for the electricity they use while protecting vulnerable customers and improving the financial sustainability of the power sector.
Tegbe said the reforms form part of a broader strategy to strengthen electricity generation, improve the national grid, restore investor confidence and address long-standing challenges across the power value chain.
He noted that the Electricity Act empowers states to establish electricity markets tailored to their economic needs.
As part of the reform agenda, the minister announced plans for a Power Sector Bond to clear outstanding debts owed to electricity generation companies, gas suppliers and other market participants.
He also described the Presidential Metering Initiative as a key pillar of the government’s plans, with universal metering expected to eliminate estimated billing and improve transparency in electricity payments.
To support the initiative, Tegbe unveiled the Power Force programme, which will engage 5,000 Nigerian youths in meter installation nationwide while providing technical training through the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria.
The minister revealed that Nigeria has consistently generated about 5,000 megawatts of electricity over the past two weeks, attributing the improvement to better coordination, increased power plant availability and stronger collaboration across the sector.
However, he stressed that increased generation alone would not solve the country’s electricity challenges without corresponding improvements in transmission, distribution and market payments.
He added that the government will conduct a comprehensive technical audit of the national transmission network, harmonise federal and state electricity regulations, invest in strategic transmission corridors linking major cities, and implement a Super Grid Programme to strengthen the national transmission system.
Expressing optimism about the reforms, Tegbe said Nigerians should begin to experience noticeable improvements in electricity supply within the next few months, while stronger grid infrastructure, wider electricity access and more efficient sector operations are expected over the next two to three years.
