Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, said some electricity consumers have asked him to slow down the recent improvement in power supply, joking that their “freezers were freezing”.
Speaking on Wednesday at the commissioning of a 3-megawatt solar hybrid power project at the University of Abuja, Tegbe said recent Federal Government efforts were already improving electricity supply in some areas.
“Places that didn’t have light at all for three months are now having 18 hours of light.
Some areas called me to say, look, I should slow down, that everything in their freezer is freezing.”
“That is what a freezer is meant to do. Let it freeze the food that needs to be frozen,” he said.
Tegbe recalled telling Nigerians during his Senate screening that improvements would begin to show within three to six months.
He also admitted that the sector still faces major challenges, including infrastructure that is more than 40 years old.
“Some of the infrastructure we have in the electricity and power sector are more than 40 years old. We’re systematically replacing them, phasing them out and bringing new ones,” Tegbe said.
He said vandals had pulled down three major transmission towers in Birnin Kebbi after attacking their foundations and cutting parts for sale as scrap.
“You will not believe how many towers get pulled down by vandals,” he said.
The government has formed a joint committee with the EFCC, Police and NSCDC to protect electricity assets and ensure vandalism is treated as a serious crime.
The University project combines 3.3MW of solar panels, 3MW AC output and battery storage. It will serve lecture halls, laboratories, ICT facilities, offices, lighting and other key services.
Tegbe said 58,726 students would benefit from the project, which includes 6,078 solar panels and 388 streetlights.
REA Managing Director Abba Abubakar Aliyu called it a major milestone under the Energising Education Programme, while Vice-Chancellor Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi said reliable power was vital to the university’s academic mission.
