Power sector has no quick fix â Nigeria’s new power minister Joseph Tegbe
Linda Ikeji’s Blog
https://lindaikejisblog.com/feed
Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe has warned that solving Nigerias electricity crisis will require difficult but transparent reforms, insisting there are no quick fixes to the countrys long standing power problems.Speaking during his screening before the Senate Committee of the Whole on Wednesday, Tegbe said the country must abandon old approaches to the sector. We will not do things the way we used to do before. I will not promise what I cannot deliver, he told lawmakers.Tegbe, who was appointed in 2025 by Bola Tinubu as Director General of the Nigeria China Strategic Partnership, described electricity as central to national growth and public confidence. He said decades of reforms had failed to produce the expected transformation in the sector.If confirmed, Tegbe said his focus would be on improving power distribution, closing the metering gap, increasing transparency and encouraging state governments to participate more actively in electricity generation. We must close the metering gap and ensure Nigerians can track performance through a transparent public dashboard. The sector must be properly structured, and the people deserve to see real improvement, he said.The nominee added that sub national governments should be encouraged to generate power independently to reduce pressure on the national grid. We will come with clear milestones. If results are not visible in three months, they wont be in six, he stated.During the session, Enyinnaya Abaribe, chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, raised concerns about the countrys fragile grid system, noting that the grid frequently struggles once supply exceeds 5,000 megawatts. You must meet the generator cartel. They will come after you. Make sure that the DISCOs keep to the terms of their contracts, Abaribe warned. Former Minister of State for Power and Steel, Danjuma Goje, also criticised the poor progress in the sector despite trillions of naira spent since 1999.Goje advised Tegbe to seek long term technical support from China to help overhaul Nigerias electricity system over the next two decades. On the issue of vandalism of power infrastructure, Tahir Monguno asked the nominee how he intended to improve security around energy facilities.Responding, Tegbe identified gas supply shortages and weak grid discipline as key problems affecting electricity stability.We understand the issues. What is needed now is honest engagement and firm execution. We will tell Nigerians the truth, he said. He also stressed the importance of enforcing compliance across the sector and introducing market driven tariffs to improve efficiency and sustainabilityThe post Power sector has no quick fix Nigeria’s new power minister Joseph Tegbe appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.
Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe has warned that solving Nigerias electricity crisis will require difficult but transparent reRead more at http://www.lindaikejisblog.com/2026/5/power-sector-has-no-quick-fix-a-nigerias-new-power-minister-joseph-tegbe.html