FG rules out electricity tariff hike, orders grid audit

The Federal Government has ruled out any immediate increase in electricity tariffs, assuring Nigerians that its priority is to improve power supply, strengthen the national grid and make the electricity market financially sustainable.

Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, gave the assurance during a media interaction in Lagos, saying the government was focused on expanding access to electricity rather than raising tariffs.

“Our priority is not tariff increase in the immediate term. Our objective is clear—to make electricity more available, make the grid more reliable, make the market financially sustainable and restore investor confidence,” Tegbe said.

He added that the government would continue to explore measures to protect vulnerable consumers while ensuring the long-term viability of the power sector.

“We want to ensure that electricity becomes a catalyst for national productivity rather than a constraint to economic growth,” he said.

The minister, who assumed office about 50 days ago, also announced plans to conduct a comprehensive technical audit of the country’s electricity transmission network to identify weaknesses affecting grid stability.

According to him, the audit will assess ageing infrastructure, overloaded substations, weak transmission corridors, protection failures, system bottlenecks and other operational vulnerabilities.

“One cannot effectively rebuild what one has not properly diagnosed. The audit will provide the factual basis for prioritising investments, reducing system failures, improving planning and ensuring that every naira invested delivers measurable value,” he said.

Tegbe disclosed that the Federal Government would immediately begin strategic investments in three key transmission corridors—Lagos, Enugu–Port Harcourt, and Abuja–Kaduna–Kano—to improve electricity delivery across the country.

He expressed optimism that the interventions would strengthen the national grid over the next two to three years, reduce technical losses, boost investor confidence and expand access to reliable electricity for Nigerians.