Power minister: Nigerians ask me to slow down, freezers are freezing

The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, says some Nigerians have urged him to slow down efforts to improve electricity supply because their freezers are now working continuously.

Tegbe made the remark on Wednesday in Abuja during the commissioning of a 3-megawatt solar hybrid power project at Yakubu Gowon University, formerly the University of Abuja.

He said consumers had reported improvements in electricity supply in some parts of the country, including areas that previously experienced prolonged outages.

“Places that didn’t have light at all for three months are now having 18 hours light. Some areas called me to say, look, I should slow down, that everything in their freezer is freezing. That is what freezer is meant to do. Let it freeze the food that needs to be frozen,” he said.

The minister recalled that he promised during his Senate screening that Nigerians would begin to notice improvements in power supply within three to six months.

He, however, acknowledged the challenges facing the sector, noting that some electricity infrastructure across the country was 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 also raised concerns over the vandalism of critical power infrastructure, disclosing that three major transmission towers in Birnin Kebbi had been brought down by vandals.

According to him, the towers were part of the infrastructure supplying electricity to Kebbi State and extending to Niger Republic.

He said the vandals attacked the foundations of the towers before pulling them down and cutting parts of the structures for sale as scrap.

Tegbe disclosed that the Federal Government had established a joint working committee involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to monitor and protect electricity assets.

“You will not believe how many towers get pulled down by vandals,” he said.

The minister added that the government was working to ensure that vandalism of critical electricity infrastructure was treated as a serious criminal offence.

On the Yakubu Gowon University project, Tegbe said the facility comprises a 3.3-megawatt solar array, 3MW AC output capacity and battery storage.

He said the project would supply electricity to critical university facilities, including lecture halls, laboratories, information and communication technology centres, administrative buildings and campus lighting.

More than 58,726 students are expected to benefit from the project, which includes 6,078 photovoltaic panels and 388 streetlights installed across the university.

The minister said the project also created 3,201 jobs during implementation.

He explained that the battery storage capacity could be expanded to cover additional parts of the institution, including student hostels.

Tegbe said the Rural Electrification Agency would collaborate with the university to improve lighting in areas of the campus not adequately covered by the project.

He also urged the institution to use the facility for research into renewable energy, battery storage, smart metering, energy management, grid integration and cybersecurity.

The Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, described the project as a major milestone under the Energising Education Programme.

Aliyu said the success of the programme should not be measured only by the amount of electricity generated but also by its impact on academic activities, research and the learning environment.

He said reliable electricity would improve laboratory operations, strengthen digital services and reduce pressure on university operating budgets.

The Head of the Nigeria Electrification Project, Olufemi Akinyelure, said public investment in electricity for universities created opportunities for innovation and national development.

“The government may not be in the business of making profit, but it must always be in the business of making progress. And perhaps no public investment yields a greater return than investment in education because when we power a university, we do not merely light buildings; we illuminate minds, enable innovation and strengthen the future of our nation,” Akinyelure said.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, commended the Federal Government for implementing the project but stressed the need for communities to help protect public infrastructure.

Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University, Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi, said dependable electricity was essential to teaching, research, laboratory operations and digital services.

He thanked the Federal Government and the REA for the intervention and called for continued collaboration to ensure the project remains functional and delivers its intended benefits.