Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe has revealed that some electricity consumers have contacted him to complain that power supply has improved too quickly, joking that their freezers were now doing exactly what freezers are supposed to do.
Tegbe made the remarks on Wednesday, September 16, at the commissioning of a solar hybrid power project at the University of Abuja, saying residents in areas that previously went without electricity for three months were now receiving up to 18 hours of supply daily.
Minister's Light-Hearted Comment on Improved Supply
"Some areas called me to say, look, I should slow down, that everything in their freezer is freezing," he said. "That is what a freezer is meant to do. Let it freeze the food that needs to be frozen."
The minister recalled promising Nigerians during his Senate screening that visible improvements in electricity supply would come within three to six months of his appointment.
Ageing Infrastructure and Vandalism Threaten Power Gains
Tegbe cautioned that progress remained fragile, pointing to the age of much of the country's power infrastructure as a key obstacle. He said some equipment in the electricity sector was over 40 years old and that the government was working to systematically phase it out and replace it with newer systems.
He also raised the alarm over the vandalism of transmission towers, revealing that three major towers in Birnin Kebbi had been deliberately brought down. According to him, the vandals targeted the foundations of the structures before toppling them and cutting sections to sell in scrap markets. The towers were part of infrastructure supplying power to Kebbi State and extending to Niger Republic.
"You will not believe how many towers get pulled down by vandals," Tegbe said.
In response, the Federal Government has set up a joint working committee comprising the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Police Force, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to monitor and protect national electricity assets.
Tegbe added that the government was pushing to have vandalism of critical power infrastructure prosecuted as a serious criminal offence.
University of Abuja Solar Project to Serve Over 58,000 Students
On the project commissioned on the day, Tegbe said the facility pairs a 3.3-megawatt solar array with a 3MW AC output capacity and battery storage to deliver reliable electricity to key university facilities, including lecture halls, laboratories, ICT centres, administrative buildings, and campus lighting.
More than 58,726 students are expected to benefit from the installation, which includes 6,078 photovoltaic panels and 388 streetlights spread across the campus.
The Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abba Abubakar Aliyu, called the project a significant milestone under the Energising Education Programme. The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi, said reliable electricity was central to the institution's academic goals.
FG Rules Out Immediate Electricity Tariff Hike
Previously, Legit.ng reported that the federal government ruled out any immediate electricity tariff increase, saying its focus is on improving power supply and expanding metering nationwide. Minister of Power, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, announced on Thursday, September 17, after commissioning a 3MW captive solar hybrid power project at Yakubu Gowon University, formerly known as the University of Abuja.
