Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has expressed regret to citizens over the recurring electricity outages experienced nationwide in recent weeks, acknowledging that the disruptions have intensified difficulties for homes and businesses. He offered the apology on Tuesday while addressing journalists in Abuja, amid growing public dissatisfaction over unstable power supply during a period of extreme heat.
Adelabu recognised that the outages have been especially challenging in the dry season, when electricity demand typically rises due to increased cooling needs. He formally apologised, describing the situation as temporary but burdensome for many Nigerians. The minister said the unreliable supply has affected several parts of the economy, including businesses, schools, and industrial operations. He noted that the circumstances were unintended and linked to factors largely outside the government’s direct control.
Despite the setbacks, he reassured the public that steps are being taken to stabilise electricity delivery and provided a timeframe for expected progress. According to him, improvements should start to become noticeable within two weeks as gas suppliers honour new commitments and repairs continue on essential infrastructure. Adelabu stated that authorities now have defined schedules for concluding major repair works, including projects tied to facilities managed by Seplat Energy, which play a key role in restoring gas flow to power stations.
He also revealed that a dedicated committee has been established to oversee compliance with domestic gas supply requirements by producing companies — a persistent issue that has constrained electricity generation.The minister added that reforming payment arrangements for gas suppliers would incentivise higher supply volumes and strengthen overall power production. Nigeria’s electricity industry, which depends largely on gas-fired generation plants, continues to struggle with limited gas availability, pipeline repair challenges, ageing systems, and financial constraints.
Adelabu, however, voiced confidence that stability will return soon, reaffirming the government’s determination to enhance power delivery across the country. He said work is ongoing around the clock to restore the performance levels previously achieved. He reiterated the federal government’s objective of raising national generation capacity to 6,000 megawatts before the end of 2026, adding that improvements are expected across generation, transmission, and distribution segments to meet that goal. The minister concluded by saying the administration intends not only to recover lost ground but to outperform previous milestones in the sector.
