There has been a wave of mixed reactions following Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu’s claim that 40 percent of electricity consumers in Nigeria now enjoy 20 hours of uninterrupted power supply daily.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Adelabu highlighted the achievements of the Power Ministry over the past year, noting that several “revolutionary measures” were implemented to ensure more stable and consistent electricity for Nigerians.
“Today, we generate over 5,500 megawatts of power, and over 40 percent of customers enjoy more than 20 hours of power supply across the nation,” the minister said, crediting President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda for the improvement.
Adelabu emphasized the importance of stable electricity for industrial growth, citing global economies like South Korea, China, and North America, where reliable power has been essential to development. He stated that Tinubu’s government is committed to replicating similar success in Nigeria by boosting production and creating jobs through improved electricity infrastructure.
Adelabu acknowledged that when the administration assumed office, Nigeria had an installed generation capacity of 13,000 megawatts but was only delivering 4,000 megawatts to consumers, which was insufficient. He credited recent improvements to the commissioning of the Zungeru hydroelectric power plant and upgrades to existing plants, which have boosted the installed capacity to over 14,000 megawatts.
The minister’s claims, however, have drawn mixed reactions from the public. While some social media users and residents have confirmed experiencing improved electricity supply, others argue that many Nigerians still struggle with erratic power.
One Facebook user, Olanrewaju Salawudeen, supported the claim, stating, “There’s a great change now. If NEPA takes our light, it comes back within five minutes.” Another user, Saheed Alausa, remarked that consumers on Bands A and B receive around 18 hours of power daily.
However, some expressed skepticism. Twitter user @dahnnysparrow called the claim “a big lie,” urging others to leave their “comfort zones” to experience the poor power supply in many areas. Similarly, @habiblinz tweeted about charging his phone with a power bank, stating, “Only government and reserved areas would attest to 20 hours of electricity.”
The Executive Director of the Electricity Consumer Protection Advocacy Centre, Pricewill Okorie, also dismissed the claim as unrealistic, questioning, “Where are the reports from the 36 states? If you take 40 percent of the population from 774 Local Governments, the data doesn’t support this.”
The conversation around electricity supply in Nigeria continues, as many consumers push for more transparency and further improvements across the country.
