Power Minister Tegbe Faces Criticism Over Electricity Claims

Joseph Tegbe, the Minister of Power, stated that he has received calls from some Nigerians asking him to “slow down” improvements in electricity supply because their freezers are freezing. He noted that some communities, which previously lacked electricity for months, are now receiving up to 18 hours of supply daily.

However, this raises questions about who these Nigerians are and whether they represent the broader population. The Tinubu administration appears to be out of touch with the struggles of many citizens who are burdened by rising electricity bills and the high costs of petrol and diesel, which make self-generation expensive.

According to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s April 2026 Operational Performance Factsheet, Nigeria has 13,625MW of installed grid-connected generation capacity, but only 4,286MW is available for dispatch, indicating a plant availability factor of just 31 percent. The rising energy costs are affecting businesses, leading to increased prices, reduced production, and potential job losses.