The Federal Government has ruled out any immediate increase in electricity tariffs, saying its priority is to improve service delivery, expand access to reliable power and accelerate universal metering across the country.
The Minister of Power, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, stated this while speaking with journalists after commissioning a 3MW captive solar hybrid power project at Yakubu Gowon University, formerly University of Abuja.
“There are no immediate plans to increase electricity tariffs. Our goal is to build a commercially viable power sector while protecting vulnerable consumers,” Tegbe said.
The Minister said service improvement and universal metering remained key priorities of the Ministry, stressing that consumers should benefit from more reliable electricity while being billed according to measured consumption.
He said universal metering would promote accurate billing, improve transparency and ensure that electricity consumers were charged based on their actual consumption.
The clarification comes amid renewed interpretations of the Minister’s comments on possible subsidy removal in the electricity sector and concerns over a further tariff adjustment.
Tegbe, however, stressed that tariff increases were not an immediate consideration, with the government concentrating instead on improving service delivery and strengthening consumer confidence.
The Minister said the Federal Government was also addressing the structural and financial challenges confronting the power sector while pursuing reforms aimed at improving efficiency and accountability across the electricity value chain.
The newly commissioned solar hybrid project at Yakubu Gowon University is designed to provide stable and cleaner electricity to about 58,726 students and reduce the institution’s reliance on diesel-powered generators.
Developed by the Rural Electrification Agency under Phase II of the Energising Education Programme, the project comprises a 3.3MWp solar array, 3MW AC output and a 2MWh battery storage system, supported by dedicated grid supply outside solar generation hours.
It also includes 388 solar-powered streetlights across the campus to improve visibility and security and provide a safer environment for students and staff to study and move around after dark.
Tegbe said the project demonstrated the Federal Government’s broader commitment to improving the quality and reliability of electricity supply while implementing reforms to strengthen the long-term sustainability of the sector.
He said the administration was continuing to examine reforms to the electricity subsidy framework as part of efforts to address the sector’s longstanding financial challenges, but stressed that such reforms must take into account the needs of vulnerable consumers.