Nigeria Rules Out Electricity Tariff Hikes in 100-Day Review

Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe announced on Monday that the Nigerian government has no plans to increase electricity tariffs or withdraw subsidies next year. Speaking at a press conference in Abuja to mark his first 100 days in office, Tegbe dismissed reports of impending price hikes, stating the administration of President Bola Tinubu is prioritizing supply reliability and sector stability over increasing costs for consumers.

Tegbe reported that peak generation reached 5,330 MW in August and September, an increase from the 3,700–4,700 MW range recorded before June. These gains followed the restoration of the 375 MW Alaoji power plant and the commissioning of transformers in Lagos and Abuja to unlock 900 MW of capacity. Additionally, the government installed 350,000 electricity meters to improve billing accuracy.

To address systemic constraints such as vandalized infrastructure and aging equipment, the government has raised approximately 1.23 trillion naira toward a 3.3 trillion naira debt backlog. Tegbe noted that previously, only 27 percent of generation companies' bills were being paid. Future priorities include developing a Transmission Super Grid and stabilizing transmission corridors in Lagos, Abuja, and the Enugu-Port Harcourt route.