The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council has admitted that President Bola Tinubu has not fully solved Nigeria’s electricity problems, but insists his government is still working to provide stable and reliable power.
The council’s spokesperson, Dele Alake, made this known in a statement on Sunday titled ‘Tinubu’s Electricity Pledge Must Be Considered in Full Context’. He said fixing the power sector remained unfinished business three years into Tinubu’s administration.
Alake explained that the President had taken steps to tackle challenges that have affected the sector for over five decades.
During a 2023 meeting with members of the Organised Private Sector in Lagos, Tinubu promised to end estimated billing and provide steady electricity.
“Whichever way, by all means necessary, you will have electricity, and you will not pay for estimated bills anymore. A promise made will be a promise kept,” Tinubu had said.
Alake argued that the promise should be judged alongside the President’s actions and his concluding remarks.
He highlighted the Electricity Act 2023, which Tinubu signed on June 9, less than two weeks after taking office. The law allows states to participate in electricity generation, transmission and distribution.
He listed Lagos, Enugu, Abia, Ekiti, Oyo, Kaduna and Niger as states already setting up regulatory agencies and attracting private investments.
Alake also said the government inherited over N6tn in electricity debts accumulated between 2015 and 2025. He said a N4tn bond programme was introduced to settle verified debts owed to 21 power generation and gas companies. Its first two phases have raised over N1.2tn.
He added that more than 1.5 million customers had received meters through the Presidential Metering Initiative in three years.
The government also adjusted electricity tariffs, introduced service bands and measures to protect low-income households.
On infrastructure, Alake listed investments in substations, grid expansion, plans to modernise the over 60-year-old Osogbo Grid Control Centre and build an East-West super grid. He also highlighted solar power projects connecting universities, hospitals and rural communities through the Rural Electrification Agency.
He said Tinubu reviewed the Presidential Power Initiative started under former President Muhammadu Buhari and signed an acceleration agreement with German partners in December 2023.
The Federal Executive Council approved contracts in December 2024 for five TCN substations in major load centres. Alake said the projects were being completed and would be commissioned before Tinubu’s first term ends.
He added that another set of projects was approved in June 2026, covering eight new substations and upgrades to four existing facilities.
According to him, such projects require equipment that takes time to deliver and cannot be completed overnight.
Alake also pointed to new investments by power companies, including Geregu Power Plc, which announced plans to invest in new transformers to improve operations at its Geregu 1 Power Plant.
He said the government was working to balance affordable electricity with tariffs that would keep power companies financially stable.
“Fixing the electricity market and power sector is ongoing work,” Alake said.
He maintained that Tinubu had not abandoned his electricity promise and would present his achievements, as well as explain outstanding challenges, to Nigerians while seeking a second term.
