Four weeks ago, social media went agog after an Apete resident posted that the government was supplying enough electricity, adding that they could finally turn off their power generators.
The social media user went on to note that all the items in her freezer had become completely frozen.
Her experience was quickly echoed by other citizens. One Instagram user wrote, “Come to Adegbayi. They don’t off light here.” Another typed, “Abeg make Tegbe just continue him work oooo. We just dey gbadun 23hrs 45 mins electricity for Apete this time around.”
Beyond domestic relief, this steady power supply is translating directly into economic productivity. Small business owners, from barbers and tailors to cold-room operators and digital hubs, are seeing their overhead costs plummet as the heavy burden of fuelling diesel generators lifts.
Manufacturing plants and commercial enterprises are operating with greater predictability, boosting local output and driving job creation.
These are not isolated incidents; they form a growing chorus of testimonials from Nigerians witnessing tangible improvements.
This shift aligns with a guiding philosophy championed by the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe: “We don’t just want to count megawatts; we want to be able to count how electricity is impacting Nigerians.”
While it is easy to dismiss incremental improvements in a sector marred by decades of disappointment, cynicism should not blind us to reality. We still have a destination to reach, but true progress in powering homes and businesses is undeniably being made.
For years, the narrative of Nigerian electricity was defined by darkness and the deafening roar of generators. Today, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, that narrative is being rewritten.
When Tegbe assumed office, he emphasised that historical bottlenecks were rooted in governance and execution rather than technical deficits alone. Adopting a strategy anchored on accountability, the Ministry has aligned generation, transmission, and distribution components.
Tegbe noted: “This sector faces serious challenges. Technical issues account for only a fraction of those challenges. The larger challenge is governance. No agency, no department, no unit can solve this sector’s problems alone.”
This unified strategy has yielded vital milestones. Across the country, dormant generation assets are being resuscitated, transmission capacities are expanding, and the revival of major plants like the 450MW Alaoji Plant after three years signals a new operational urgency.
Furthermore, NERC has stepped up consumer protection enforcement to hold operators strictly accountable.
While years of infrastructural decay cannot be undone overnight, evidence from communities like Apete and Adegbayi shows the power sector moving in the right direction.
Under President Tinubu, steady electricity is replacing generators, ensuring that across homes nationwide, Nigerians’ freezers will continue to freeze.
Under Tinubu, Nigerians’ freezers will continue to freeze – Moyosore Gaffar