“Hold Me Responsible If National Grid Collapse Persists” — New Power Minister Tegbe Tells Senate

The new Minister of Power, Olasunkanmi Tegbe, has told the Senate that he should be held accountable if Nigeria’s electricity supply and national grid performance do not improve within a short period, as lawmakers pressed him on the sector’s persistent failures.

Tegbe made the remark on Wednesday during his screening and confirmation hearing in Abuja, where senators interrogated him on repeated national grid collapses, weak transmission capacity, and the worsening reliability of electricity supply across the country.

“Hold me responsible if there are no visible results. If there is no improvement in three months, Nigerians should judge us accordingly,” he said while outlining his readiness to take responsibility for reforms.

The session, presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, focused heavily on systemic issues in the power sector, including infrastructure vandalism, gas shortages, liquidity constraints estimated at about ₦6 trillion, and poor coordination across generation, transmission, and distribution segments.

Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno described the situation as a long-running national setback, stating that repeated grid failures had become a recurring disruption to development. He also pointed to security challenges in parts of the North-East that have worsened damage to energy infrastructure.

Responding to questions, Tegbe said the sector’s instability was rooted in structural weaknesses rather than isolated technical faults.

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

He identified poor coordination among operators, weak enforcement of technical standards, and inconsistent gas supply to power plants as key drivers of instability.

Tegbe also warned of internal resistance within the system, alleging that inefficiencies benefit some stakeholders.

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

The minister presented a 100-day reform plan aimed at stabilising grid performance, improving transmission efficiency, and enhancing accountability. He added that a public performance dashboard would be introduced to allow Nigerians track progress in real time.

On infrastructure protection, Tegbe described vandalism of power installations as a national security issue, saying the ministry would collaborate with security agencies, including the Office of the National Security Adviser and the military, to safeguard critical assets.

He also addressed the sector’s financial crisis, noting that the current tariff and subsidy framework is unsustainable but must be balanced with affordability for consumers.

“Electricity pricing must reflect market realities, but we must also ensure it remains affordable for citizens,” he said.

Senators Tokunbo Abiru and Orji Uzor Kalu urged the minister to provide clear timelines for achieving stable power supply, while also addressing inefficiencies caused by poor coordination among industry operators.

Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin described the power sector as central to Nigeria’s economic competitiveness, stressing that industries cannot function effectively without reliable electricity.

“Our economy cannot grow without stable power. What Nigerians need now are measurable results, not repeated promises,” he said.

Tegbe concluded by reaffirming his commitment to reform, stating that success would depend on discipline, transparency, and cooperation across institutions.

“This is a difficult assignment, but progress is achievable if we remain transparent and focused. Nigerians will see the change,” he assured.