Ministerial nominee Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe has cautioned that Nigeria’s power sector challenges cannot be resolved overnight, emphasizing that only tough, transparent, and sustained reforms can deliver lasting results.
Speaking during his screening at the Senate, Tegbe stressed the need for a shift from past approaches, making it clear he would not make unrealistic promises. According to him, the focus must now be on execution, accountability, and measurable outcomes rather than rhetoric.
He described electricity as a critical driver of national development and public confidence, noting that decades of reforms have fallen short of expectations. If confirmed, Tegbe pledged to prioritise power distribution, close the metering gap, improve transparency through public performance tracking, and encourage greater participation by sub-national governments in electricity generation.
Tegbe also underscored the importance of setting clear timelines, stating that visible results should be evident within months if reforms are properly implemented.
During the session, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe raised concerns about the fragility of the national grid, while Senator Danjuma Goje highlighted the lack of progress despite significant financial investments over the years, suggesting international collaboration as a possible solution.
Security and infrastructure challenges were also brought to the fore, with Senator Tahir Monguno questioning how the nominee plans to tackle vandalism of power assets.
In response, Tegbe identified gas supply constraints and weak grid discipline as key issues, pledging to stabilise the system, enforce compliance, and implement market-driven reforms while maintaining honest communication with Nigerians.
