LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Nigerian President Bola Tinubu pledged Friday morning to deliver stable electricity nationwide, calling reliable power a “democratic dividend” his administration is determined to provide.
In a Democracy Day address, Tinubu said his government inherited a sector weighed down by chronic generation shortfalls, unstable gas supply, weak transmission infrastructure, and distribution companies facing heavy financial losses. He noted that despite Nigeria’s installed generation capacity of about 13,500 megawatts, inefficiencies across the value chain meant much of that potential was not being used.
Tinubu pointed to reforms including the signing of the Electricity Act, which allows states to independently generate, transmit, and distribute electricity. He said decentralization is intended to improve efficiency and service delivery across the country.
The president also announced that a Presidential Power Sector Task Force is working to reduce Nigeria’s metering deficit estimated at more than four million customers and preparing a N4 trillion bond to settle verified legacy debts. He added that the Rural Electrification Agency, in partnership with the World Bank and African Development Bank, has expanded off-grid and mini-grid projects to underserved communities, including schools, markets, and hospitals.
Tinubu reiterated that electricity is central to Nigeria’s economic growth, stressing that his administration intends to deliver on its commitment. He reminded citizens of his 2023 campaign pledge, when he said Nigerians should not re elect him in 2027 if his government fails to ensure stable electricity supply.
Nigeria’s power crisis has long hindered Africa’s largest economy, where businesses and households rely heavily on costly diesel generators. International investors have often cited unreliable electricity as a barrier to industrial growth and competitiveness. Tinubu’s reforms, if successful, could reshape the country’s energy landscape and strengthen its role in the global economy.
The issue carries regional significance as well. Nigeria, home to more than 220 million people, is West Africa’s largest market. Improved electricity supply could boost trade, manufacturing, and digital industries across the region, while expanded renewable projects may reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
Analysts say the reforms will require sustained political will and financial discipline. Previous administrations invested billions of dollars in the sector with limited results, leaving citizens skeptical of new promises. Tinubu’s emphasis on debt settlement and metering expansion reflects an effort to tackle structural weaknesses that have undermined progress for decades.
For many Nigerians, waking up each morning to unreliable power remains a daily frustration. Tinubu’s pledge underscores the political stakes of electricity reform, where successive governments have struggled to deliver consistent supply despite years of investment. Reliable power, he said, is not just infrastructure, it is a democratic promise.
