Power supply will improve before end of 2026, Tegbe assures Nigerians

The Federal Government has assured Nigerians that electricity supply will improve before the end of 2026 as it works to rehabilitate the national grid and expand off-grid renewable energy projects across the country.

Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, gave the assurance on Thursday in Abuja at the media launch of the Africa Mini-Grid Programme (AMP) Nigeria Pilot Project, a renewable energy initiative being implemented by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

The programme has so far delivered 23 mini-grids in underserved communities across 15 states, with electricity provided to about 20,000 households and more than 50,000 people. It is also supporting economic activities, especially in the agricultural sector.

Tegbe said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains committed to improving electricity supply despite years of neglect and underinvestment in the power sector.

“For the avoidance of doubt, before the end of this year, Nigerians will see a significant improvement in electricity delivery,” Tegbe said

He, however, said the country’s electricity problems could not be solved immediately because of the long-standing challenges facing the sector.

“What was badly managed for 50 years cannot be resolved in six months. We are fixing the infrastructure, fixing the main grid, building off-grid assets where necessary and strengthening the resilience of the entire electricity network. The key thing is to give Nigerians electricity,” he said.

The minister said renewable energy is not a substitute for conventional power generation but an important part of Nigeria’s electricity mix.

According to him, the government is deploying energy solutions based on the needs of different communities, with mini-grids being used to supply power to areas outside the reach of the national grid.

Tegbe praised the partnership between the REA, UNDP and GEF, saying the Africa Mini-Grid Programme shows how collaboration can speed up efforts to achieve universal access to electricity.

He said the initiative is not only providing infrastructure but also improving livelihoods by supplying reliable power to businesses, healthcare centres, schools and agricultural activities.

The minister added that the 23 mini-grids already deployed had boosted local economies by powering homes, businesses and other productive ventures, while the benefiting communities had also taken ownership of the projects.

He also welcomed plans to scale up the programme, saying the second phase would deliver 50 additional mini-grids and extend electricity access to another 50,000 households.