Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe said on Wednesday that some electricity consumers have asked him to “slow down” the recent improvements in supply, complaining that their freezers are now working continuously.
Tegbe made the remark in Abuja during the commissioning of a 3-megawatt solar hybrid power project at Yakubu Gowon University, formerly the University of Abuja. He said he had been receiving feedback from areas that previously had no power for months and were now getting up to 18 hours of supply daily.
“Places that didn’t have light at all for three months are now having 18 hours light. Some areas called me to say, look, I should slow down, that everything in their freezer is freezing. That is what freezer is meant to do. Let it freeze the food that needs to be frozen,” Tegbe said.
He recalled promising during his Senate screening that Nigerians would begin to notice improvements within three to six months. At the same time, he acknowledged longstanding challenges in the sector, noting that some electricity infrastructure is more than 40 years old and is being systematically replaced.
Tegbe also raised concerns about vandalism, disclosing that three major transmission towers in Birnin Kebbi had been brought down. The towers form part of the network supplying Kebbi State and extending to Niger Republic. He said vandals attacked the foundations, toppled the structures and cut parts for sale as scrap.
The federal government has set up a joint working committee involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to protect critical electricity assets. Tegbe said the government is working to ensure such vandalism is treated as a serious criminal offence.
The university project combines a 3.3-megawatt solar array with 3MW AC output capacity and battery storage. It is designed to power lecture halls, laboratories, ICT facilities, administrative buildings, campus lighting and other essential services. Officials said more than 58,726 students are expected to benefit. The installation includes 6,078 photovoltaic panels and 388 streetlights and created 3,201 jobs during construction.
Tegbe said the battery storage could be expanded to cover additional areas, including student hostels. The Rural Electrification Agency will work with the university on remaining lighting needs. He urged the institution to use the facility for research into renewable energy, battery storage, smart metering, energy management, grid integration and cybersecurity.
Rural Electrification Agency Managing Director Abba Abubakar Aliyu described the project as a significant milestone under the Energizing Education Programme, saying its value lies in the impact on students, research and the learning environment rather than megawatts alone.
Olufemi Akinyelure, head of the Nigeria Electrification Project, said reliable power enables laboratories, digital services
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