The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has assured Nigerians that electricity prices will soon drop as the country continues to improve its power generation and distribution capabilities. This assurance came via a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Strategic Communication and Media, Mr. Bolaji Tunji, following a meeting between the Minister and the Executive Secretary of the National Lottery Trust Fund, Mr. Tosin Adeyanju.
Adelabu highlighted that nearly 40% of electricity consumers now enjoy significant power supply, with Nigeria producing an average of 5,500 megawatts (MW). Despite complaints about rising tariffs, he pointed out that “Nigeria’s electricity rates remain among the lowest in Africa, particularly when compared to neighboring countries like Togo, Mali, and Niger Republic.”
Acknowledging the financial burden on consumers, especially due to lower income levels in the country, Adelabu reassured the public that “it is still far more economical to use electricity than petrol or diesel generators given the current fuel prices.”
The Minister expressed optimism about the prospect of reducing tariffs in the near future, attributing this possibility to ongoing efforts to increase power generation and distribution across the country.
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Currently, customers in the Band-A category pay ₦206.5 per kWh, following the government’s removal of electricity subsidies. This policy shift was designed to ensure a minimum of 20 hours of power supply daily.
In response, the Executive Secretary of the National Lottery Trust Fund, Mr. Tosin Adeyanju, commended the Minister’s achievements, particularly in improving public confidence in the power sector. “We haven’t seen such improvements in electricity supply since 1999,” Adeyanju remarked, noting that many Nigerians had previously relied on solar power due to the unreliability of the national grid.
Adeyanju also outlined the agency’s plans to support the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda by partnering with the Ministry of Power to train youths in rural areas to assemble small-scale solar systems. “Our aim is to reduce unemployment by creating job opportunities for skilled individuals in trades like hairdressing, vulcanizing, and welding,” he explained.
