“We’re on It”: Power Minister Apologises for Blackouts, Promises Relief in Two Weeks

Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has expressed regret over the prolonged electricity outages affecting households, schools, and businesses, describing the situation as particularly harsh during the current dry season.

“I want to apologise to Nigerians, officially now, coming from me as the Minister of Power, for this temporary issue that is leading to hardship being experienced, especially during this dry season, where there is so much heat everywhere,” Adelabu said during a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday.

He admitted that the blackouts have disrupted daily life and economic activities. While acknowledging that some causes are beyond government control, Adelabu reassured citizens that improvements are imminent.

“Businesses are being affected, schools have been affected, and industries have been affected. It is not our wish to find ourselves in this situation, but it is due to some factors that are actually beyond our control,” he explained.

Looking ahead, Adelabu set a clear timeline for restoration of electricity. “I can tell you, with the committee that we have set up, and commitments from gas suppliers, and the timeline for repair of the gas pipelines, two weeks from now, we should start seeing improvements in supply. Two weeks.”

He outlined ongoing efforts to repair facilities, including those run by Seplat Energy, and the formation of a committee monitoring gas producers’ compliance with domestic supply obligations. Enhanced payment mechanisms, he noted, are intended to boost gas deliveries.

Despite the sector’s long-standing challenges, including pipeline maintenance issues and financial constraints, Adelabu said, “We are working on it 24/7 to make sure that we go back to the trajectory of 2025, when Nigerians commended us for a good job well done.”

Looking to the future, the minister reaffirmed the government’s target to reach 6,000 megawatts of electricity before the end of 2026. “Power generation will improve, transmission will improve, distribution will improve, and that 6,000 megawatts will be achieved before the end of this year, and Nigerians will be better for it,” he stated, adding that the aim is to exceed last year’s performance: “If we could provide such service in 2025, this is 2026, we are willing to do more, to even do better.”

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