Electricity: ‘Some Nigerians Asked Me to Slow Down, Their Freezers Are Freezing’ — Power Minister

The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, says improved electricity supply in parts of Nigeria has become so noticeable that some consumers have jokingly asked him to “slow down” because their freezers are now working continuously.

Tegbe made the remark on Wednesday in Abuja while speaking at the commissioning of a 3-megawatt solar hybrid power project at Yakubu Gowon University, formerly the University of Abuja.

The minister said he had received feedback from electricity consumers following improvements in power supply across some parts of the country.

“Places that didn’t have light at all for three months are now having 18 hours light. Some areas called me to say, look, I should slow down, that everything in their freezer is freezing. That is what freezer is meant to do. Let it freeze the food that needs to be frozen,” Tegbe said.

Tegbe recalled that during his Senate screening, he had promised that Nigerians would begin to notice improvements in electricity supply within three to six months.

He, however, acknowledged the significant infrastructure challenges confronting the sector, noting that some electricity facilities in the country are more than four decades old.

“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,” he said.

The minister also raised concerns over the persistent vandalism of electricity infrastructure, revealing that three major transmission towers in Birnin Kebbi were recently brought down by vandals.

According to him, the affected towers are part of the transmission infrastructure supplying Kebbi State and extending electricity to Niger Republic. He said the vandals targeted the foundations of the towers before dismantling sections of the structures for sale as scrap.

Tegbe disclosed that the Federal Government had constituted a joint committee involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria Police Force and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to monitor and protect critical electricity infrastructure.

“You will not believe how many towers get pulled down by vandals,” the minister said.

He added that the government was taking steps to ensure that attacks on critical electricity assets were treated as serious criminal offences.

On the Yakubu Gowon University project, Tegbe said the facility consists of a 3.3-megawatt solar array, 3MW AC output capacity and battery storage designed to supply electricity to critical areas of the institution.

He said the project would power lecture halls, laboratories, ICT facilities, administrative buildings, campus lighting and other essential university services.

According to him, more than 58,726 students are expected to benefit from the project, which comprises 6,078 photovoltaic panels and 388 streetlights. He added that the project generated 3,201 jobs during its implementation.

Tegbe said the battery storage system could be expanded to extend electricity supply to other sections of the university, including student hostels.

He also said the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) would collaborate with the university to improve lighting in areas of the campus that still require attention.

The minister urged the institution to utilise the project as a research platform for renewable energy, battery storage, smart metering, energy management, grid integration, cybersecurity and other emerging energy technologies.

The Managing Director of the REA, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, described the project as an important milestone under the agency’s Energizing Education Programme.

Aliyu said the project’s impact should be assessed beyond its electricity generation capacity, stressing its potential to improve students’ learning, academic activities, research and the overall university environment.

He noted that dependable power would enhance laboratory operations, strengthen digital services and reduce the financial burden of electricity on universities.

The Head of the Nigeria Electrification Project, Olufemi Akinyelure, said the broader significance of the project lies in the opportunities created by reliable electricity.

“The government may not be in the business of making profit, but it must always be in the business of making progress. And perhaps no public investment yields a greater return than investment in education because when we power a university, we do not merely light buildings; we illuminate minds, enable innovation and strengthen the future of our nation,” Akinyelure said.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, commended the Federal Government and the minister for the implementation of the Energizing Education Programme.

Abaribe described reliable electricity as essential to the development of Nigeria’s education sector, recalling that power supply in universities was more dependable during his time as a student.

He, however, emphasised the need for communities to play an active role in protecting and sustaining public infrastructure.

Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University, Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi, said reliable electricity was essential to the institution’s academic responsibilities.

Fawehinmi said modern universities require stable power to effectively conduct teaching, research, laboratory activities and digital operations.

He thanked the Federal Government and the REA for the intervention, describing the solar hybrid project as a major infrastructure investment in the university.

The Vice-Chancellor also called for sustained cooperation between the university and relevant government agencies to ensure the facility remains functional and continues to serve students and staff.