For years, Nigeria’s electricity sector has been characterised by persistent challenges, public frustration and repeated promises of improvement. Against this difficult background, the emergence of Chief Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe as Minister of Power has, in my view, introduced a renewed sense of possibility into a sector where many Nigerians had become increasingly doubtful that meaningful change could come quickly.
Since assuming office in June 2026, Tegbe has placed emphasis on improving reliability, strengthening the national grid, expanding access and addressing structural challenges within the electricity value chain. The Federal Ministry of Power has, among other initiatives, announced plans for investment in grid stabilisation, launched the Power Force Programme to address the metering gap, and advanced major off-grid solar projects.
What stands out is the growing emphasis on the idea that improving electricity supply should not take forever.
For too long, Nigerians have lived with the consequences of an electricity system struggling with generation, transmission, distribution, metering, financing and infrastructure deficits. The frustration is evident in homes, businesses, industries and communities across the country.
It is against this background that Tegbe’s approach deserves attention.
His actions so far suggest that technical knowledge, professional discipline, ethical commitment and effective execution matter in confronting Nigeria’s power challenges. The Ministry itself has stated that its mission is to facilitate reliable, functional and cost-effective electricity supply to Nigerians.
As the saying goes, the best wine is sometimes saved for the last. The Benin people similarly speak of saving the best masquerade for the final dance.
Those who know me can attest that I have rarely singled out a government official for public praise. However, when an individual demonstrates a serious commitment to improving public service delivery, it deserves acknowledgement.
The purpose of this commendation, therefore, is not to encourage complacency. It is to encourage Tegbe to do more.
Since his assumption of office, he has demonstrated that there may be no shortcut to solving Nigeria’s electricity problems. Sustainable improvement requires investment, technical competence, accountability, infrastructure and consistent execution.
The Federal Ministry of Power has also announced initiatives ranging from grid stabilisation and metering to renewable-energy development, indicating that the challenge is being approached from several fronts rather than through a single intervention.
This is important because electricity is not merely another component of national development. It is an enabler of virtually every modern economic activity.
Manufacturing depends on it. Small businesses depend on it. Hospitals depend on it. Schools, technology companies, telecommunications infrastructure and households all depend on reliable power.
This is why the power sector must be treated as a foundational component of Nigeria’s economic transformation.
The experience of Singapore, as discussed by Lee Kuan Yew in From Third World to First, offers an important lesson about the role of local capacity, disciplined institutions and national commitment in building a modern economy. Nigeria, too, must develop the capacity to solve its problems with its own people, institutions and resources while remaining open to useful global expertise.
There are also lessons from Uruguay’s energy transition. The country has transformed its electricity mix to one in which about 99 per cent of generation now comes from renewable sources, supported by substantial investment in infrastructure and a long-term policy approach.
The lesson for Nigeria is not that our circumstances are identical to Uruguay’s. They are not. Rather, it is that difficult energy challenges can be confronted through sustained planning, investment, institutional coordination and political continuity.
Tegbe’s tenure is still relatively young, and the ultimate measure of any reform effort will be its sustained impact on electricity availability, reliability, affordability and access.
But early action can create confidence.
This is why this brief acknowledgement should be seen as a call for more work, not complacency.
The Nigerian people need a power sector that works consistently—not only when there is public pressure, but as a matter of routine governance and professional responsibility.
If the present momentum is sustained, strengthened by accountability and translated into measurable improvements for households and businesses, the effort could become an important chapter in Nigeria’s long-running search for dependable electricity.
Only Nigerians can ultimately make Nigeria work.
And when merit, competence, integrity and commitment are given room to operate, the results can become visible.
The journey is far from over. But in the darkness that has characterised Nigeria’s electricity story for decades, every genuine step toward reliable power is a light worth recognising.
AVM (Rtd) AKUGBE IYAMU, MNSA, fsi
President, Association of Environmental Protection and Climate Change Practitioners
Consultant on Climate Change, Environmental Policy Analyst and Commentator on National Issues