Power Minister gives 72-hour timeline for restoration of electricity supply

By Adebola Muili

The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has assured Nigerians experiencing electricity disruptions that affected generating units will begin returning to service within 48 to 72 hours, as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to address challenges affecting power generation and transmission.

The minister attributed the reduced electricity supply to planned maintenance at Egbin Power Station, gas supply constraints affecting some thermal power plants and sabotage of critical electricity transmission infrastructure.

In a statement made available to journalists on Saturday, November 7, Tegbe said the combined effect of the challenges had reduced the volume of electricity available for distribution through the national grid, forcing operators to implement load shedding in some locations.

He explained that damage to key transmission lines had further compounded the situation by restricting alternative routes for transmitting electricity to affected communities, particularly in Lagos.

The minister acknowledged the difficulties faced by electricity consumers, noting that the disruptions had affected household activities, commercial operations and businesses.

“I am aware of the strain that the current outages have placed on households and businesses,” he said.

Tegbe assured Nigerians that the Ministry was working with operators across the electricity value chain to address the immediate challenges and restore supply in phases.

He said the first generating units were expected to return to operation within 48 to 72 hours, while efforts were being intensified to bring other affected units back on stream.

Beyond restoring generating capacity, the minister said the government was also working to improve gas availability to thermal power stations and accelerate repairs to damaged transmission infrastructure.

He stressed that resolving the electricity supply challenges required coordinated interventions across generation, gas supply and transmission to ensure that available power could be effectively delivered to consumers.

The minister appealed to Nigerians to exercise patience while technical teams and relevant operators worked to stabilise electricity supply.

He also promised to keep consumers informed about the progress of the restoration efforts, assuring that further updates would be provided as supply gradually improves.