Nigeria’s incoming Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has pledged to stabilise the national grid within three months of taking office, setting an ambitious target as the country grapples with persistent electricity failures. During his Senate confirmation hearing on May 6, 2026, Tegbe said Nigerians should expect measurable progress within his first 100 days in office.
Responding to questions from lawmakers, Tegbe said his immediate priority would be restoring grid stability, tightening operational discipline across the power value chain, and plugging systemic leakages that have weakened the sector for years. He promised to return to the National Assembly with a detailed reform roadmap and clear milestones, stressing that if progress is not visible within three months, it would be difficult to achieve meaningful results later.
He also highlighted the financial pressure facing the industry, noting that Nigeria’s power sector is carrying an estimated ₦6 trillion debt burden. According to him, liquidity challenges have made it difficult for generation companies to meet gas supply obligations, contributing to lower output and instability across the electricity chain.
Tegbe acknowledged that reform would likely face resistance from entrenched interests that benefit from the sector’s inefficiencies. During the screening, lawmakers cautioned him about powerful vested interests in the electricity market that could push back against attempts to clean up the system.
His nomination follows the departure of former Power Minister Adebayo Adelabu. Tegbe, a former senior executive at KPMG and former Director-General of the Nigeria–China Strategic Partnership, takes over at a time when unreliable electricity supply remains one of Nigeria’s most pressing economic challenges. Throughout 2026, generation capacity has frequently remained below 3,000 megawatts, leaving households and businesses heavily dependent on private generators.
The coming months are expected to be an early test of whether the new minister can translate bold promises into visible improvements in power supply.
