The Minister of Power, Mr. Joseph Tegbe, has lamented that gas supply constraints, overstretched transmission infrastructure, distribution losses and N3.3 trillion legacy debts are crippling improved power supply to Nigerians.
Tegbe said this on Tuesday in Lagos while outlining steps being taken to stabilise the national grid and expand delivery.
He spoke on Tuesday in Lagos at the opening of the Nigeria Energy Leadership Summit 2026 at the Landmark Centre, themed “Strengthening Power Delivery Through Execution, Coordination and Performance.”
He maintained that the sector cannot deliver reliable electricity until the core constraints across generation, transmission and distribution are tackled in a coordinated manner.
He emphasized the need for government to prioritise three economic energy corridors where demand is highest – Lagos-Ogun, Benin-Enugu-Port Harcourt and Abuja-Kaduna-Kano.
According to him, the approach will align generation capacity, transmission infrastructure and distribution readiness to ensure power gets to households, businesses and industries where it is most needed.
Speaking on funding and sustainability, the Minister said government is expediting efforts to resolve legacy liabilities that have weakened the market.
Of an estimated N3.3 trillion owed to operators, he revealed that N1.23 trillion has been paid, while leakages are being blocked to stop fresh debts.
He also hinted that government is pushing measures to cut technical and commercial losses, including the Presidential Metering Initiative, the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme and the Meter Acquisition Fund.
He explained that the intervention is anchored on four cardinal priorities: enhancing energy zones, strengthening liquidity, optimising existing assets and expanding infrastructure for future demand.
The reforms, he noted, alignswith President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, must move from paper to measurable improvements in supply that support industrial productivity, business growth and job creation.
