Nigeria must address persistent gas supply challenges and other infrastructure bottlenecks to maximise the potential of its existing electricity assets, Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe has said.
Tegbe made the remarks at the 2026 Energy Conference organised by the Association of Energy Correspondents of Nigeria (NAEC) in Lagos, where stakeholders discussed investment opportunities and ways to improve electricity supply across the country.
The minister, who was represented by the Ministry of Power’s Acting Director of Press, Clement Ezeorah, explained that increasing electricity generation capacity alone would not solve Nigeria’s power challenges without improvements in gas supply, transmission, distribution and payment systems.
According to him, existing power plants must be properly maintained and supplied with sufficient gas to enable them to generate electricity efficiently.
He warned that investing in additional generation capacity without resolving these challenges could tie down funds without delivering significant improvements in electricity supply to consumers.
Tegbe identified four major investment opportunities in the power sector: rehabilitating existing power plants, providing reliable electricity to industrial clusters, upgrading distribution infrastructure and expanding decentralised energy systems.
He also urged gas producers to partner with power developers and industrial users to establish integrated gas-to-power projects capable of improving electricity supply to businesses and industries.
The minister noted that reliable electricity remains essential for economic growth, particularly in manufacturing, logistics and other productive sectors.
He added that the Federal Government was working to strengthen accountability across the electricity value chain by monitoring gas deliveries to power plants, electricity transmission and distribution, as well as payments within the market.
Tegbe further disclosed that approximately 350,000 electricity meters had been deployed in the preceding three months to improve billing accuracy and help consumers pay for their actual electricity consumption.
However, he acknowledged that poor revenue collection and liquidity challenges continue to affect electricity distribution companies.
The minister also highlighted vandalism of electricity infrastructure as another major obstacle, explaining that funds that could have been used to expand transmission networks were instead being spent on replacing damaged equipment.
He said the government would continue to pursue partnerships with clear responsibilities, realistic timelines and measurable service delivery targets.
Tegbe stressed that Nigeria must focus on making existing electricity assets more productive while expanding infrastructure to meet the country’s growing energy needs.
ALSO READ:Cross River Flags Off Oil and Gas Training for 2,000 Youths
Hope you find the Above publication useful, Calabargist will love to keep you updated via our newsletter by subscribing with your email.
