.Ask for completion of Siemens project for grid modernization
.Call for simplified licensing to enable state govts, firms build grids
CYRIL MBAH, Abuja
Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has been advised to take more drastic and proactive actions in tackling Nigeria’s power supply problem by thinking outside the box and facing the challenges with firm determination than previous ministers.
An Electrical Engineer, Chief Silas Onwuatuegu, observed that power supply has been unreliable in Nigeria for decades, because several administrations in the past never mustered the necessary political will to do the needful by addressing the root causes of the problems in the sector.
In an exclusive interview in Abuja with Daily Champion, the expert observed that the new Minister of Power has a tough but achievable job that requires complete reform and the transformation of major activities before electricity supply can become reliable in the country.
“The issue is not just lack of generation of power. it is a broken value chain that starts from gas supply to transmission, distribution, and payment. The minister needs to fix the gas-to-power supply chain first because about 80% of Nigeria’s grid power comes from gas-fired plants, but they are often starved of gas due to unpaid debts, pipeline vandalism, and pricing disputes.
“The minister needs to enforce gas supply agreements, settle legacy debts to gas suppliers, and push for a cost-reflective gas pricing model. Also, he should accelerate domestic gas processing and pipeline protection using private security partnerships.”
Chief Onwuatuegu said the minister also needs to address liquidity in the sector, pointing out that the entire power supply and distribution chain are seriously cash-strapped.
“Distribution companies cannot pay GENCOs and TCN because many customers don’t pay bills, and tariffs are not fully cost-reflective. He should ensure full implementation of cost-reflective tariffs for Band A-C customers while protecting low-income bands.
“He should also push for mass deployment of smart meters to close the metering gap and reduce estimated billing fraud and support DISCOS with strict performance targets tied to funding.”
On the level of power supply to the national grid, Chief Onwuatuegu called for an upgrade and expansion of transmission, stating that the TCN’s current wheeling capacity is around 8,000MW, but that generation and demand are higher, causing the grid to also trip off frequently because it is radial and outdated.
In order to solve the problem, the engineer suggested a fast-track completion of the Presidential Power Initiative/Siemens project for grid modernisation.
“The unbundling of TCN into Transmission System Operator and Transmission Service Provider to attract private investment.”
He also suggested that super-grid projects and regional interconnections should be adequately encouraged, pointing out that since the national grid alone cannot reach everyone quickly, there should be an aggressive support for mini-grids development to be supported by solar home systems for rural and peri-urban areas under the Rural Electrification Agency.
Chief Onwuatuegu said the new administration at the ministry should focus on decentralisation of the power sector by simplifying licensing to enable state governments and private firms to build state grids, now allowed under the 2023 Electricity Act, adding that this will help reduce pressure on the national grid.
On technical and commercial losses, he advised that since DISCOS lose between 30 to 50% of power to technical faults and theft, there should be renewed investment in network rehabilitation, underground cabling in urban areas, and anti-theft technology.
“We should be using data from smart meters to identify high-loss areas and enforce sanctions. There should be proper partnerships with communities for asset protection.
“Improve governance and reduce political interference because frequent policy reversals and NERC/DISCO disputes scare investors.
“The minister should strengthen NERC’s independence, stick to multi-year tariff orders, and make regulatory decisions data-driven. Publish performance data for all players to create public accountability.
“He should go all out to attract private capital with bankable projects, because investors will not come without bankable Power Purchase Agreements and sovereign risk guarantees.
“The minister should work with the Ministry of Finance and the World Bank to backstop contracts. Focus on projects with clear revenue streams, like serving industrial clusters and Band A customers first.
“No single action will fix the power sector. The fastest wins are metering, reducing losses, and stabilizing gas supply. The long-term fix is decentralisation and getting the market to function commercially. If the minister focuses on these 7 areas and measures DISCOS/GENCOs by actual hours of supply and collection efficiency, not promises, we would see a noticeable improvement in 12 or 24 months,” Chief Onwuatuegu noted.
Another expert, Alhaji Abdulkadir Umar, while breaking his suggestions down into a 100-day action plan for the minister, sugessted that the minister should first restore public confidence in electricity suppliers, stop the bleeding in the power sector, and create visible improvements in power supply for priority customers.
“You can’t fix everything, but you can fix the bottlenecks that unlock everything else by declaring a Gas-to-Power Emergency Taskforce in the fist 30 days in office.
“Membership of the 30-day taskforce should be drawn from the NNPC, gas producers, GENCOs, and pipeline security firms. A mandatory daily reporting on gas delivery, contracted volumes should be introduced and the data published regularly.
“The aim is to identify and resolve the top three gas supply blockages to plants like Azura, Olorunsogo, and Geregu.
“NERC, TCN, and DISCOS should be compelled to publish weekly data on: generation per plant, grid wheeling capacity, DISCOS remittances, and ATC&C losses, because transparency creates pressure to perform.
“The minister should also fast-track approval for MAP and NMMP phase 2 by giving DISCOS 30 days to submit credible metering rollout plans with penalties for non-delivery, while one million meters in high-loss areas should be targeted first.”
Tinubu had recently appointed Mr Joseph Tegbe as Minister of Power following the exit of Adebayo Adelabu from the ministry during the cabinet reshuffle announced by the Presidency.
Tegbe, an engineer and public policy expert, appeared before the Senate for screening, where he outlined plans to tackle challenges in the electricity sector, including grid instability, metering gaps and power infrastructure deficits.
However the Minister had denied reports claiming he promised to fix Nigeria’s power grid within three months.
Tegbe, through his spokesperson, Adeola Adelabu, described the reports as a misrepresentation of remarks he made during his Senate screening on May 6, 2026.
In a statement posted on X, Adelabu said the minister only stated that timelines for reforms in the power sector were still being worked out and remained subject to diagnostics and consultations with stakeholders.
“Our attention has been drawn to inaccurate media reports alleging that the Honourable Minister-designate, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, promised to fix Nigeria’s power grid within three months.
“This claim is a clear misrepresentation of his remarks. At his Senate screening on May 6, 2026, Mr Tegbe made no such commitment,” the statement read.
According to the statement, Tegbe assured senators that initial efforts aimed at stabilising the national grid would commence within his first 100 days in office, while broader structural reforms could take about one year.
The aide explained that the proposed reforms would focus on improving sector credibility, addressing gas supply challenges and expanding electricity metering across the country.
“My promise to this chamber is that Nigerians will see visible improvement in the sector,” Tegbe was quoted as saying during the screening.
He also pledged to stabilize the national grid, modernize electricity infrastructure, improve commercial frameworks and enforce accountability across the power value chain.
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