By Mathew Ibiyemi
When Joseph Tegbe was appointed Minister of Power, many observers reacted with the skepticism that typically greets leadership changes in the ministry.
Key questions echoed across the industry: What will he do differently? What background does he bring to this complex sector? Some commentators even misinterpreted statements during his Senate confirmation, claiming he promised to fix the entire power sector within three months.
However, the 100 days following his appointment have demonstrated a deliberate and strategic effort to harmonize coordination across the power value chain.
Upon assuming office, Tegbe outlined a clear mandate, stating that the destination is clear. Reliable and affordable electricity for every Nigerian home, business, and industry, around the clock.
A major bottleneck in Nigeria’s power sector has long been the challenge of distributing generation to the last mile due to aging transmission infrastructure. Under Tegbe’s leadership, a concerted effort is ongoing to replace these legacy assets, most notably highlighted by massive infrastructure upgrades across key Lagos transmission substations in Apapa, Ijora, Alausa, and Lekki. A combined 840MVA of new capacity equipped with modern automation and SCADA systems has been commissioned and added to the grid. This includes upgraded infrastructure at Alausa added a new 100MVA transformer to increase capacity to 205MVA, adding 80MW, while at Lekki, two 60MVA transformers and nine new feeders raised capacity to 240MVA, adding about 192MW. Additionally, two new 100MVA transformers at Ijora increased capacity from 90MVA to 230MVA, and a new Gas Insulated Substation at Apapa raised capacity from 60MVA to 180MVA. New transformers and installations are to be commissioned in Bauchi, Birni Kebbi, Kano, Benin and Port Harcourt in the next month.
Complementing these infrastructure upgrades is a comprehensive technical audit of the national grid which will propel the overhaul of major energy corridors, specifically targeting the Lagos, Abuja-Kaduna-Kano, and Benin-Enugu-Port Harcourt axes.
This is as the Ministry under his leadership has also successfully cleared over 300 long-abandoned containers from the ports, releasing critical equipment for immediate deployment by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to strengthen grid stability.
This upgrades on the grid are already working in tandem with broader sector milestones. Most recently on Tuesday, September 22, Nigeria’s power sector recorded a total available generation of 5,403.3 MW, according to the Daily Load Allocation Table issued by the National Control Centre (NCC) in Osogbo.
Another central pillar of Tegbe’s plan is improved stakeholder engagement. Beyond private consultations with state governors to address asset vandalism and community interference, he has initiated a strategic partnership with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Tunji Disu to establish a specialized joint task force dedicated to safeguarding power infrastructure as critical national assets.
Navigating regulatory hurdles with diplomacy, Tegbe also addressed long-standing disputes over estimated billing. Following setbacks involving the Association of Meter Manufacturers of Nigeria (AMMON), his constructive engagement with regulators and operators has paved the way for a meaningful resolution.
To also ensure seamless implementation of the Electricity Act 2023, Tegbe established and chairs a nine-member inter-agency committee. Featuring representatives from NERC, State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs), the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Operators and the Bureau of Public Enterprises, this committee is tasked with resolving operational bottlenecks and aligning sub-national electricity markets.
Fairness and consumer protection guide Tegbe’s regulatory philosophy. He maintains that market rules must protect operators, investors, and electricity consumers alike. Under his oversight, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) recently directed Distribution Companies (DisCos) to compensate Band A customers for supply shortfalls, sending a clear signal that operational accountability is non-negotiable.
Simultaneously, public communication across key sector entities has undergone a complete transformation. The National Electricity System Operator (NISO) and the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) now provide accurate, real-time updates on grid status, while NISO successfully debunked fraudulent social media accounts falsely claiming to represent the national grid.
Tangible operational gains are also already emerging. The 450-Megawatt Alaoji Open Cycle Power Plant in Abia State, which had been dormant for three years, was revived through the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), making up to 375 Megawatts available for dispatch to the national grid.
Expanding electricity access beyond the national grid, Tegbe has placed off-grid solar solutions at the center of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) mandate. One of the Minister’s first official outing was the handover of a 500 hectares of land in Niger state for the development of a 200MW solar project that will power the Abuja steel mills and industrial park in Suleja.
In Epe, Lagos State, the Minister commissioned a 505kWp interconnected solar mini-grid powering multiple host communities, paired with plans for an additional 5MW renewable expansion. He also recently commissioned a 3MW hybrid mini-grid at the Yakubu Gowon University and a renewable energy training centre which is delivering 24 hour power supply and serving over 50,000 of the University population.
Under the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) initiative, Tegbe also performed the groundbreaking of three interconnected mini-grids in Adamawa State spanning Kofare, Saminaka, and Mbamba delivering a combined capacity of 13.5MW to serve tens of thousands of households and businesses.
This momentum spans the entire federation, bolstered by the rollout and launch of 23 mini-grid projects across 23 states, signaling a systematic transition toward clean, decentralized power for underserved regions.
Building on this momentum, plans are underway for the commissioning of solar mini-grids across 16 universities and 3 national teaching hospitals.
The Minister has also successfully facilitated private-sector-led investments, including a 50MW dedicated power plant to energize the Idu Industrial Cluster and a monumental 625MW coal-fired power plant in Enugu State.
To ensure past mistakes are not repeated, the reforms in the renewable energy sector are being anchored on the launch of the Renewable Asset Management Company (RAMCO) to ensure the long-term sustainability, maintenance and commercial viability of renewable energy projects nationwide.
At the core of Tegbe’s strategic roadmap is a strong focus on workforce development, recognizing that structural reforms require a skilled, motivated, and agile workforce to succeed. Tegbe leads by example, instilling a high-performance work culture within the Ministry that emphasizes prompt execution, inter-departmental synergy, and administrative transparency.
A major driver of this vision is the POWER FORCE initiative, a flagship technical training program set to produce 5,000 certified meter installers nationwide. Beyond creating immediate employment opportunities for young Nigerians, this program directly targets metering gaps, curbs revenue losses, and reduces billing disputes that starve the sector of liquidity.
To ensure long-term sustainability, the Ministry is deepening partnerships with the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) to upskill grid operators, line workers, and sub-station engineers in modern digital grid management.
Furthermore, as state governments assume greater regulatory powers under the decentralized Electricity Act, Tegbe is deploying technical assistance frameworks to train personnel across newly established State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs), ensuring synchronized, competent governance across both federal and state tiers.
To Tegbe, power sector reform is not a deferred promise, it is a daily discipline. Through strategic stakeholder alignment, asset protection, consumer advocacy and aggressive human capital development, the groundwork for a reliable national power architecture is steadily taking shape.
Mathew is an energy journalist and he writes from Lagos, Nigeria
