No Electricity Tariff Increase for Now, Government Confirms

The Federal Government has ruled out any immediate increase in electricity tariffs, reaffirming its commitment to improving power supply through ongoing reforms and strategic investments in the sector.

Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, made this known during a stakeholders’ engagement session in Lagos.

According to the Minister, the engagement marks the beginning of a new phase of openness, accountability and collaboration in the electricity sector, as the government intensifies efforts to deliver reliable and sustainable power to Nigerians under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Tegbe explained that resetting the power sector does not suggest that previous achievements are being discarded. Rather, it involves building on the unprecedented reforms initiated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, while addressing the structural challenges that have long hindered the sector’s growth.

He said, “Our objective is clear: to make electricity more available, improve grid reliability, ensure the market is financially sustainable and restore investor confidence. Ultimately, we want electricity to become a catalyst for national productivity rather than a constraint to economic growth.”

The Minister noted that President Tinubu has demonstrated strong political will toward electricity sector reforms, stressing that no nation can achieve industrialisation without reliable power supply.

Addressing reports circulating on some media platforms, Tegbe stated that the Federal Government has no plans to increase electricity tariffs at this time.

He said the administration remains focused on expanding access to electricity while ensuring fairness for consumers through the Presidential Metering Initiative, which is driving Nigeria toward universal metering.

“Consumers deserve transparency, fairness and the confidence that they only pay for the electricity they actually consume,” he said.

Tegbe also highlighted ongoing investments in transmission infrastructure, expanded rural electrification, improved institutional coordination across the electricity value chain and reforms aimed at attracting private investment while safeguarding the public interest.

Among the immediate interventions unveiled by the Ministry is the inauguration of the Power Force, an initiative that will engage 5,000 Nigerian youths in meter installation nationwide through the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN).

The programme is expected to help close the country’s metering gap while creating a skilled workforce for the electricity sector.

The Minister further disclosed that significant progress has been made in resolving long-standing challenges surrounding meter procurement.

He added that electricity generation has also shown improvement, with the national grid consistently exceeding 5,000 megawatts over the past two weeks, saying, “I now receive more prayers now than curse over the improvement in electricity supply.”

“Our ambition is clear: reliable electricity that powers our homes, competitive electricity that powers our industries, sustainable electricity that attracts investment and inclusive electricity that reaches every Nigerian,” Tegbe stated.

The Minister also highlighted ongoing efforts to leverage on the renewable energy capacity to ramp up power generation.

He disclosed that there is a solar farm in Nigeria that produces up to 100 megawatts of electricity, reiterating the determination of the government to make electricity available to the vulnerable and the underserved communities in Nigeria.