The Federal Government has moved to calm fears of another electricity tariff increase, declaring that there is no plan to raise electricity tariffs for now as it steps up efforts to improve power supply across the country.
Minister of Power, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, gave the assurance on Friday, July 31, 2026, at a stakeholders’ session in Lagos attended by media representatives and other key players in the electricity sector.
Tegbe said the government was determined to tackle Nigeria’s long-running power problems through fresh interventions and ongoing reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He described the Lagos engagement as the start of a new era of openness, accountability and collaboration in the power sector.
According to the Minister, resetting the sector does not mean previous efforts have failed, but rather involves building on the reforms already initiated by the Tinubu administration while confronting the structural problems that have held the sector back for years.
“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 ultimate goal was to make electricity a driver of national productivity and economic growth rather than a burden on households and businesses.
Tegbe said President Tinubu had shown strong political commitment to reforming the electricity sector since its liberalisation, stressing that reliable power remains critical to industrial development.
NO TARIFF HIKE FOR NOW
Addressing reports of another possible electricity tariff increase, the Minister said there was no such move for now.
Instead, he said the Federal Government was pushing ahead with the Presidential Metering Initiative to achieve universal metering and end the uncertainty surrounding electricity billing.
Tegbe said Nigerians deserved transparency and fairness, insisting that consumers should have confidence that they were paying only for the electricity they actually consumed.
The Minister also listed investment in transmission infrastructure, expansion of rural electrification and stronger coordination across the electricity value chain among the government’s ongoing interventions.
5,000 YOUTHS TO JOIN METERING DRIVE
Tegbe disclosed that the Ministry had inaugurated the Power Force, an initiative that will engage 5,000 Nigerian youths in meter installation across the country.
According to him, the programme is designed to help close Nigeria’s metering gap while creating a pool of skilled young Nigerians who can build careers in the power sector.
The initiative is being implemented with the involvement of the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN).
The Minister also disclosed that progress was being made in resolving the long-standing challenges surrounding meter procurement, while efforts to boost electricity generation were beginning to yield results.
He said Nigeria’s power sector had consistently crossed the 5,000-megawatt mark over the past two weeks.
Tegbe said the government remained committed to delivering electricity that would support homes, businesses and industries across the country.
“Our ambition is clear: reliable electricity that powers our homes; competitive electricity that powers our industries; sustainable electricity that attracts investment; and inclusive electricity that reaches every Nigerian,” he said.
