Nigeria's Power Minister Seeks Investors for Reforms

The Federal Government of Nigeria is actively courting investors for the next phase of its power sector reform, emphasizing the need for faster meter deployment and enhanced gas supply. At the NAEC Energy Conference 2026 in Lagos, Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe, represented by acting director of Press Clement Ezeorah, stated that energy assets only deliver value when they provide power to paying customers.

Tegbe identified four key entry points for investors: restoring output from existing plants, serving industrial estates with reliable offtake, modernizing distribution infrastructure, and expanding distributed energy solutions. He urged gas producers to collaborate on integrated gas-to-power projects and highlighted the importance of accountability in tracking gas usage, electricity distribution, and payment processes.

The government has rolled out approximately 350,000 meters in the last three months to improve billing accuracy. Tegbe acknowledged ongoing challenges with collection efficiency and legacy debts from the 2013 privatization, stating that the government is working to resolve these issues.