Senate Confirms Tegbe As Power Minister, Orders Urgent Action On Nigeria’s Persistent Grid Collapse
Newly confirmed Power Minister Olasunkanmi Tegbe promises reforms, transparency and tougher action against vandalism within 100 days.
Newly confirmed Power Minister Olasunkanmi Tegbe promises reforms, transparency and tougher action against vandalism within 100 days.
The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Mr. Olasunkanmi Tegbe as Minister of Power, charging him to immediately confront Nigeria’s deepening electricity crisis, particularly the persistent collapse of the national grid, liquidity constraints and weak transmission infrastructure that have continued to hamper economic growth.
The confirmation followed a rigorous screening exercise at plenary presided over by Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, during which lawmakers extracted firm commitments from the nominee on timelines, transparency and concrete reforms aimed at stabilising the power sector.
Rising from the session, senators across party lines stressed that the time for rhetoric had passed, insisting on measurable outcomes that would reverse years of inefficiency in a sector widely regarded as the backbone of national development.
Leading the debate, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno (Borno North) described Tegbe’s nomination as “a square peg in a square hole,” but warned that the enormity of challenges in the sector required urgent and decisive action.
He lamented the recurring collapse of the national grid, describing it as a major impediment to Nigeria’s industrialisation drive.
“Grid collapse has become a recurring decimal, affecting our quest for development. Transmission has also failed to effectively evacuate power generated by GENCOS,” Monguno said.
He further highlighted the security dimension of the crisis, noting that insurgent attacks in the North-east had crippled transmission infrastructure, forcing Maiduguri to rely on alternative power sources.
Responding, Tegbe acknowledged that the sector’s challenges were systemic and deeply rooted, attributing grid instability to poor coordination, weak enforcement of standards and inadequate gas supply.
“Grid collapse is not an accident; it is a symptom of a system problem,” he said, pledging to enforce strict operational discipline and improve frequency management across the network.
In a bold commitment, the minister-designate promised visible improvements within his first 100 days in office, including stabilising the grid and introducing a public performance dashboard to enhance transparency and accountability.
“If you don’t see results in three months, you won’t see them in six months. Nigerians must hold us accountable,” he declared.
On the persistent vandalisation of power infrastructure, Tegbe described it as a grave national security threat and pledged close collaboration with security agencies to curb the menace.
“Vandalisation of critical national assets must be addressed decisively. I will work with the National Security Adviser and service chiefs to tackle this challenge,” he said.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro (Benue South), raised concerns over the sector’s worsening liquidity crisis, estimated at about N6 trillion, warning that it had discouraged investment and weakened the entire value chain.
“How will you address the liquidity and debt crisis in the power sector?” Moro asked.
In response, Tegbe admitted that the current financial model was unsustainable and pledged to implement market-reflective tariffs while ensuring protection for vulnerable consumers.
“Market-reflective tariffs are necessary, but electricity must remain affordable. We will strike a balance between sustainability and social protection,” he said.
Senator Tokunbo Abiru (Lagos East) and other lawmakers demanded clear timelines for achieving energy sufficiency, insisting that Nigerians deserved a predictable and reliable electricity supply.
Similarly, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North) criticised the fragmentation of the power sector, arguing that the separation of generation, transmission and distribution had created inefficiencies and weakened coordination.
“It does not make business sense to have multiple entities operating without synergy,” Kalu said.
Tegbe, however, assured the Senate that his reform strategy would prioritisecoordination across the value chain, with particular emphasis on improving gas supply to power generation companies.
He also promised to accelerate metering nationwide, noting that the rollout of one million meters in the past year marked a significant milestone that would be expanded to reduce estimated billing and improve revenue collection.
On rural electrification, Senator Ekong Samson (Akwa Ibom South) expressed concern that over 70 per cent of rural dwellers lacked access to electricity.
Tegbe responded that the government would scale up mini-grid and renewable energy solutions, particularly solar power, to bridge the gap.
“Decentralised energy solutions will play a key role in ensuring that no community is left behind,” he said.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin underscored the urgency of reforms, describing the power sector as the single biggest constraint to Nigeria’s economic competitiveness.
“Our industries cannot compete globally because of inadequate electricity. We need results, not promises,” he said.
Despite the tough scrutiny, lawmakers expressed confidence in Tegbe’scompetence, citing his professional background and clarity of vision during the screening.
He reiterated his commitment to delivering tangible results, acknowledging the scale of the challenge while expressing optimism that reforms would yield quick gains.
“This is a difficult assignment, but with discipline, transparency and collaboration, we will make progress. Nigerians will see improvements,” he said.
In his remarks, Akpabio hinted at an alleged entrenched interests undermining progress in the sector, including what he described as a “generator cabal” that benefits from the country’s unreliable electricity supply.
“There are elements not interested in power working efficiently because they profit from the inefficiencies. We will confront such interests,” he alleged.
The Senate subsequently confirmed his nomination unanimously, setting the stage for what many lawmakers described as a critical test of the administration’s resolve to fix Nigeria’s troubled power sector and end the cycle of grid collapses that has long plagued the nation.
