Tegbe Denies Promising To Fix Power Grid In Three Months, Clarifies Reform Timeline

Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, has dismissed media reports claiming he promised to fix the country’s troubled national power grid within three months, describing the reports as a misrepresentation of his remarks during his Senate screening.

In a statement issued on Thursday through his spokesperson, Adeola Adelabu, the minister clarified that no such commitment was made before lawmakers on May 6, 2026. “Our attention has been drawn to inaccurate media reports alleging that the Honourable Minister-designate, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, promised to fix Nigeria’s power grid within three months. This claim is a clear misrepresentation of his remarks,” the statement read.

According to the statement, Tegbe explained to senators that timelines for reforms in the power sector were still being developed and would depend on technical diagnostics and consultations with key stakeholders. The clarification followed widespread reports suggesting that the minister-designate had pledged to completely resolve Nigeria’s persistent electricity grid problems within a three-month period.

Adelabu explained that while initial efforts to stabilise the national grid would begin within Tegbe’s first 100 days in office, broader structural reforms involving sector credibility, gas supply, and electricity metering could take about one year to achieve meaningful progress. “My promise to this chamber is that Nigerians will see visible improvement in the sector,” Tegbe was quoted as saying during the screening.

The minister also pledged to stabilise the national grid, modernise electricity infrastructure, strengthen commercial frameworks within the sector, and enforce accountability across the entire power value chain. On electricity tariff reforms, Tegbe reportedly assured lawmakers that vulnerable households would be protected while the government works to balance affordability, sector sustainability, investor confidence, and operational efficiency.

The statement further emphasised that the minister remains open to constructive engagement with the media and encouraged journalists to seek clarification where necessary to avoid misinformation. “The Minister-Designate remains open to constructive media engagement and welcomes requests for clarification where necessary, recognising the role of the media as partners in nation-building, especially in fostering accurate public understanding of the imminent reforms in the power sector,” Adelabu noted.

President Bola Tinubu recently nominated Tegbe as Minister of Power following a cabinet reshuffle that led to the exit of Adebayo Adelabu from the ministry. Tegbe, an engineer and public policy expert, appeared before the Senate for screening where he outlined plans to tackle challenges in the electricity sector, including grid instability, metering gaps, and power infrastructure deficits.