NEWS
“Some Areas Asked Me to Slow Down, Their Freezers Were Freezing” — Power Minister, Joseph Tegbe Says, Highlights Rising Electricity Supply
Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has drawn attention to what he described as a remarkable improvement in electricity supply across parts of Nigeria, revealing that some consumers who had recently begun enjoying longer hours of power jokingly asked the government to “slow down” because their freezers were now working continuously.
Tegbe made the remarks on Wednesday at the commissioning of the 3-megawatt solar hybrid power project at Yakubu Gowon University, formerly known as the University of Abuja, where he outlined ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to improve electricity reliability, modernise ageing infrastructure and strengthen the protection of critical power assets.
According to the Minister, the impact of recent interventions was already being felt in communities that previously experienced prolonged periods without electricity.
“Places that didn’t have light at all for three months are now having 18 hours of light.
“Some areas called me to say, look, I should slow down, that everything in their freezer is freezing. That is what a freezer is meant to do. Let it freeze the food that needs to be frozen,” he said.
The remark underscored the contrast between the prolonged electricity shortages experienced by many communities and the longer supply hours now being recorded in some areas following government interventions.
Tegbe recalled that during his Senate screening, he had promised that Nigerians would begin to notice improvements in the power sector within three to six months. He said the administration was pursuing a systematic approach to addressing the structural problems that have continued to constrain electricity generation, transmission and distribution.
The Minister, however, acknowledged that the transformation of the sector would require sustained investment because a significant portion of Nigeria’s electricity infrastructure has been in service for decades.
“Some of the infrastructure we have in the electricity and power sector are more than 40 years old.
“We’re systematically replacing them, phasing them out and bringing new ones,” Tegbe said.
Beyond ageing infrastructure, the Minister identified vandalism as another major threat to efforts to improve electricity supply across the country.
He disclosed that three major transmission towers in Birnin Kebbi had recently been brought down by vandals.
According to him, the affected towers were important components of the transmission infrastructure supplying electricity to Kebbi State and extending toward Niger Republic.
Tegbe explained that the vandals targeted the foundations of the towers before pulling them down and cutting portions of the structures for disposal through the scrap-metal market.
“You will not believe how many towers get pulled down by vandals,” he said.
The Federal Government, he disclosed, has responded by establishing a joint working committee involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to strengthen surveillance and protection of critical national electricity infrastructure.
The initiative is aimed at making it more difficult for criminal networks to attack transmission towers, power installations and other strategic assets that require substantial public resources to construct and replace.
Tegbe also said the government was working toward ensuring that vandalism of critical electricity infrastructure was treated as a serious criminal offence, given its wider implications for economic activity, public services and national development.
At Yakubu Gowon University, the Minister highlighted the newly commissioned solar hybrid project as an example of the Federal Government’s drive to provide more dependable electricity to critical public institutions.
The project combines a 3.3-megawatt solar photovoltaic array with a 3MW AC output capacity and battery storage, creating an independent electricity system designed to provide more reliable power to key university facilities.
The installation is expected to support lecture halls, laboratories, information and communication technology facilities, administrative buildings, campus lighting and other essential services.
With 6,078 photovoltaic panels and 388 streetlights installed across the university, the project is expected to benefit more than 58,726 students while improving the operating environment for teaching, learning, research and administration.
The Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, described the project as a significant milestone under the Energising Education Programme, a Federal Government initiative designed to provide sustainable and reliable electricity to higher institutions across the country.
For the university community, the project represents more than an alternative power source. Reliable electricity is central to the operation of laboratories, ICT infrastructure, classrooms, research facilities, security systems and other services required for a modern university environment.
The Vice-Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University, Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi, stressed the importance of dependable electricity to the institution’s academic mission, particularly as universities increasingly depend on technology and specialised infrastructure for teaching, research and administration.
The commissioning therefore comes against the backdrop of a broader push by the Federal Government to tackle Nigeria’s longstanding electricity challenges through a combination of infrastructure renewal, renewable-energy investments, stronger security for power assets and targeted interventions in critical institutions.
While the Minister’s comments point to improved supply in some locations, the continued presence of ageing infrastructure and vandalism highlights the scale of the challenges confronting the sector as the government seeks to translate individual interventions into more consistent electricity supply nationwide.