‘Hold Me Responsible If National Grid Collapse Persists’, New Power Minister Tegbe Tells Senate

The newly appointed Minister of Power, Olasunkanmi Tegbe, has vowed to tackle the country’s recurring national power grid failures, erratic electricity supply and widespread vandalism of power infrastructure, declaring that Nigerians should hold him accountable if visible improvements were not achieved within months.

Tegbe made the pledge on Wednesday during his screening and confirmation hearing by the Senate in Abuja, where lawmakers subjected him to intense questioning over the worsening state of the nation’s electricity sector.

The screening session, presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, focused heavily on repeated grid failures, weak transmission infrastructure, poor electricity supply and the deepening liquidity crisis threatening the power sector.

Following the session, the Senate unanimously confirmed Tegbe as Minister of Power, tasking him with delivering urgent and measurable reforms capable of restoring confidence in the sector.

Lawmakers warned that Nigerians were increasingly frustrated by years of unfulfilled promises and insisted that the new minister must produce tangible results within a short period.

Leading the debate, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno described Tegbe’s appointment as timely but stressed that the scale of the crisis demanded immediate intervention.

“Grid collapse has become a recurring decimal, undermining development. Transmission has failed to match generation capacity,” Monguno said, noting that insecurity in parts of the North-East had further worsened damage to power infrastructure.

Responding, Tegbe admitted that the problems confronting the sector were deeply rooted and structural.

“Grid collapse is not accidental; it reflects deeper structural problems,” he told lawmakers.

According to him, weak coordination across the electricity value chain, poor enforcement of technical standards and inadequate gas supply to generation companies remained key factors driving instability in the national grid.

The minister unveiled what he described as a 100-day reform agenda aimed at stabilising electricity supply, strengthening transmission infrastructure and improving operational accountability within the sector.

He said the ministry would introduce a public performance dashboard that would enable Nigerians to track progress and assess the government’s performance in real-time.

“If there are no results in three months, there will be none in six. Nigerians should hold us accountable,” Tegbe declared.

The minister also alleged that entrenched interests were benefiting from inefficiencies in the sector and vowed to confront sabotage directly.

“There are elements that do not want the system to work because they benefit from its failure. We will take them on,” he said.

On the persistent vandalism of power installations, Tegbe described attacks on electricity infrastructure as a serious national security threat.

He disclosed that the ministry would work closely with security agencies, including the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the military, to protect critical national assets.

Tegbe further acknowledged the worsening liquidity crisis in the power sector, estimated at about N6 trillion, admitting that the current financial framework was unsustainable.

While defending the need for market-reflective tariffs, he assured Nigerians that affordability considerations would remain central to government reforms.

“Electricity pricing must reflect market realities, but affordability remains essential. We will ensure a fair balance,” he said.

Lagos East Senator, Tokunbo Abiru, urged the minister to provide clear timelines for achieving stable electricity supply, stressing that reliable power remained vital to economic growth and job creation.

Also speaking, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu criticised the fragmentation of the electricity industry into generation, transmission and distribution entities, arguing that poor synergy among operators had worsened inefficiency.

In response, Tegbe assured lawmakers that his reform agenda would prioritise stronger coordination across the power value chain, improved gas supply and accelerated nationwide metering to reduce estimated billing and improve revenue collection.

He also promised expanded investment in renewable energy and decentralised power systems, particularly solar-powered mini-grids, to improve electricity access in underserved rural communities.

“Decentralised energy will be key to reaching underserved communities and ensuring inclusive access,” he said.

Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin described the power sector as Nigeria’s greatest obstacle to economic competitiveness, stressing that industries could not thrive without stable electricity.

“Our industries cannot thrive without reliable electricity. What we need now are results, not assurances,” he said.

Despite the tough scrutiny, several lawmakers expressed cautious optimism about Tegbe’s capacity to reform the sector, citing his professional experience and what they described as the clarity of his proposals.

In his closing remarks, the minister acknowledged the enormity of the challenge but maintained that meaningful progress was achievable through discipline, transparency and collaboration.

“This is a difficult assignment, but progress is achievable with transparency, discipline and collaboration. Nigerians will see change,” Tegbe assured.