Blackouts to ease soon, minister apologises to Nigerians

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has assured Nigerians that electricity supply will improve within two weeks, apologising for the persistent nationwide outages.

Speaking during a press briefing on Tuesday in Abuja, Adelabu said the ministry has taken critical steps to address the challenges that have worsened power supply since he assumed office in October 2023.

“With the committee we have set up, the feedback from gas suppliers, and the timeline for repairing the gas pipelines, I can say that within two weeks we should start seeing improvements in power supply,” he said.

He explained that the completion of repairs on key gas pipelines—particularly the Seplat line—along with ensuring timely payments to gas suppliers, would restore supply to power plants and boost generation.

Adelabu appealed for patience, acknowledging the hardship caused by the outages during the intense dry-season heat.

“We want to apologise to Nigerians for this temporary problem, which is causing hardship, especially during this dry season when the heat is intense and businesses, schools, and homes are being affected,” he said.

The minister attributed the situation to a gas shortage affecting power plants that produce 75 per cent of the nation’s electricity. With hydro generating only 25 per cent, many turbines have been left idle due to insufficient gas.

“It is not our wish to find ourselves in this situation, but there are factors beyond our control. We are working around the clock to return to the trajectory we achieved in 2025, when we were commended for a job well done,” he added.

Adelabu reiterated that the government is targeting 6,000 megawatts of electricity before the end of 2026 as generation is expected to steadily improve in the coming weeks.

He also disclosed that the sector had attracted over $3 billion in private investments in the last two years and now operates under a comprehensive electricity policy with a clear implementation framework for all stakeholders.

“This document outlines what is expected of each player, their responsibilities, and their limitations,” he said.