150 Million Nigerians now have Electricity access – Minister Adelabu

The Minister of Power, Adedayo Adelabu, has revealed that about 150 million Nigerians now have access to electricity, while around 80 million are still without reliable power supply.

Speaking at the 2025 Ministerial Sectoral Update Conference in Abuja on Thursday, Adelabu said the progress was linked to Nigeria’s involvement in the “Mission 300” project, a joint initiative by the World Bank and the African Development Bank to provide electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.

Adelabu explained, “Out of the 300 million Africans targeted, Nigeria is expected to account for 75 million.

So far, 150 million Nigerians already have electricity access, although many still face unstable supply.”

He stressed that the real issue is not just access, but the reliability and affordability of electricity, pointing out that consistent and affordable power remains a major challenge.

The minister called on global partners to support improvements to Nigeria’s national power grid while also backing off-grid solutions.

He warned against focusing only on renewable energy for rural areas, saying urban centres and industries also need dependable power.

Power Generation on the Rise

Adelabu also announced an increase in Nigeria’s power generation to 6,003 megawatts, up by 1,700 MW since President Bola Tinubu took office.

He expressed optimism that the country could hit 8,000 MW before the end of the current administration, with hopes of reaching 23,000 MW in the future.

The Kaduna Power Plant, he added, should begin operation by the end of 2025.

He assured Nigerians that the ongoing issue of electricity metering would soon be resolved.

Tariff Hike Sparks Criticism

Speaking on recent electricity tariff reforms, the minister said the changes had boosted government revenue by ₦700 billion.

In April 2024, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) approved a tariff hike for Band A customers (those enjoying at least 20 hours of power daily), increasing charges from ₦68 to ₦225 per kilowatt-hour.

The increase, which affects about 1.9 million people, was introduced to reduce Nigeria’s energy subsidy burden, which had been projected to reach ₦2.9 trillion in 2024. Despite the tariff hike, ₦2.8 trillion was still budgeted for subsidies this year.

However, many organisations, including the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, criticised the hike, calling it an added burden on citizens and businesses already struggling with high costs.

National Grid Woes Continue

Despite the reported progress, the national power grid remains unstable. In 2024 alone, it suffered at least 12 collapses, leading to blackouts in cities such as Abuja, Lagos, and Kano.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) blamed the collapses on outdated infrastructure, vandalism, and irregular gas supply to power plants.

To tackle this, Adelabu suggested regionalising the grid to avoid nationwide blackouts and reduce dependency on central infrastructure.

He also highlighted the issue of overreliance on imported power equipment, which continues to affect Nigeria’s foreign exchange.

As the grid struggles, many Nigerians and businesses now depend on generators and off-grid systems. Reports suggest that generators collectively produce over 40,000 megawatts—more than eight times what the national grid can supply.

“Until the grid is stable and reliable, people will keep looking for alternatives. Our goal is to fix the system and restore confidence in national power,” Adelabu concluded.