The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has disclosed that some electricity consumers have jokingly appealed to him to slow down improvements in power supply because their freezers are now working for longer hours.
Tegbe made the disclosure on Wednesday in Abuja at the commissioning of a 3-megawatt solar hybrid power project at Yakubu Gowon University, formerly the University of Abuja.
The minister said areas that previously experienced prolonged power outages were now enjoying significantly longer hours of electricity, a development he said had surprised some consumers who were unaccustomed to sustained power supply.
“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 that during his Senate screening, he had promised Nigerians that noticeable changes would be recorded in the power sector within three to six months.
However, Tegbe acknowledged that the sector still faced significant infrastructure challenges, noting that some electricity facilities had been in operation for more than four decades.
“Some of the infrastructure we have in the electricity and power sector are more than 40 years old. We’re systematically replacing them, phasing them out and bringing new ones,” he said.
Three transmission towers vandalised
The minister also raised concerns over the continued vandalism of electricity infrastructure, disclosing that three major transmission towers in Birnin Kebbi were recently destroyed after vandals attacked their foundations.
According to him, the towers were critical to electricity supply in Kebbi State and also supported power transmission towards Niger Republic.
He said portions of the damaged structures were reportedly dismantled and sold as scrap.
“You will not believe how many towers get pulled down by vandals,” Tegbe said.
To address the challenge, the minister disclosed that the government had established a joint working committee comprising the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nigeria Police Force and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to strengthen the protection of critical electricity infrastructure.
Speaking on the newly commissioned solar hybrid project at Yakubu Gowon University, Tegbe said the facility was designed to provide reliable electricity to key areas of the institution.
The project comprises a 3.3-megawatt solar array with 3MW AC output capacity and battery storage. It is expected to supply lecture halls, laboratories, ICT centres, administrative buildings, campus lighting and other essential facilities.
Tegbe said no fewer than 58,726 students would benefit from the project.
He disclosed that the facility has 6,078 solar panels and 388 streetlights, while 3,201 jobs were created during its implementation.
The minister added that the battery storage system could be expanded in the future to provide electricity to additional parts of the university, including student hostels.
He urged the university to maximise the facility for research and training in renewable energy, battery storage, smart metering, energy management, grid integration and cybersecurity.
The Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, described the project as a significant achievement under the Energising Education Programme.
Aliyu said the impact of the project should be measured not only by the volume of electricity generated but also by its contribution to teaching, research and the overall learning environment.
The Head of the Nigeria Electrification Project, Olufemi Akinyelure, said reliable electricity supply in universities would create broader opportunities for education, innovation and national development.
“The government may not be in the business of making profit, but it must always be in the business of making progress,” Akinyelure said.
He added that investment in education remained crucial because powering a university went beyond lighting buildings to supporting innovation and preparing future generations.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, commended the Federal Government for the project and called for proper maintenance and community support to safeguard public infrastructure.
The Vice-Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University, Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi, said stable electricity was essential for effective teaching, research, laboratory activities and digital services.
He appreciated the Federal Government and the REA for the intervention and called for sustained cooperation to ensure that the facility remained functional.
