Federal Government has pleaded with Nigerians over power outages, promising improvement across the country in the coming days , just as Ogun State Government inaugurated its
Electricity Regulatory Commission (OGSERC), marking a transition from mere legislation to active legislation, aimed at driving robust transformation of the State’s power sector.
Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, made the promise to improve electricity supply during a press conference held on Tuesday to give account of his stewardship in the last three years.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
The minister attributed the current challenges to gas supply shortfalls to the generation companies due to the huge amounts of money owed to gas suppliers.
He hinted that the current war in the Middle East could further worsen the problems.
Nigerians have experienced power outages in recent weeks, leading to calls on authorities to address the issue.
The country’s power sector relies on gas-fired plants. But they have continued to face disruptions largely due to inadequate gas supply, pipeline maintenance issues, ageing infrastructure, and liquidity constraints.
“These issues collectively impact both the quantity and quality of gas delivered to power plants, leading to underutilisation of installed generation capacity, increased outages, and inefficiencies in power production,” the minister said.
To address this challenge, the minister suggested “scaling up renewable energy solutions, particularly off-grid and mini-grid systems”.
“Renewable energy offers a cost-effective and sustainable pathway to expand access without overburdening the national grid,” he said.
He also called for the integration of additional renewable energy into the grid. The minister said this will help diversify energy sources and reduce overall generation costs, particularly by lowering dependence on gas-fired power.
“Integrating utility-scale solar, hydro, and other renewables will also enhance energy security and support climate objectives,” he said.
“This will require investments in grid monitoring and control systems and system planning to effectively manage intermittency while maintaining grid stability.”
Away from the power sector, Adelabu, whom observers suggest is eyeing the Oyo governorship seat in the 2027 elections, did not confirm if he is contesting for the post.
President Bola Tinubu gave appointees at the federal level a March 31st deadline to resign if they have political ambitions.
But the minister says he still has some days until the deadline. He insisted that, either at the national or subnational level, he aims to serve
Meanwhile Ogun State Government has
inaugurating the newly constituted 15-man administrative team, led by a legal expert, Miss. Oluwatoyin Sonoiki in Abeokuta,
The Head of Service, Mr. Kehinde Onasanya, during the inauguration,
said that the commission was now legally empowered to regulate all electricity providers within the State, saying that the specifically designed State Electrification Fund would bring light to underserved and rural communities that had long been left in the dark.
Onasanya said further that, the mission was to build a modern, reliable and independent electricity market that would benefit the citizens across the State, noting that the operation of OGSERC was not only about bureaucracy, but to create a system that would protect consumers, with a firm mission of overseeing fair tariffs, consumer protection and market growth.
"The Commission is not here to be a 'cog in the wheel' of progress, but to collaborate with operators to ensure our people get real value for their money," Onasanya stated.
Also making his remark, Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Service Matters, Mr. Dipo Ogunfowora, emphasised that the regulatory framework would remain the backbone of the State’s economic ambition.
"We are building a power sector that is efficient and capable of supporting our journey toward becoming a true industrial megacity," he noted.
In her response, the Executive Secretary, Miss. Oluwatoyin Sonoiki, expressed deep gratitude for the Governor's vision that had gradually materialised into reality.
She assured residents that the Commission would operate with "loyalty, accountability and dedication," working hand in hand with operators to meet the high expectations of every Ogun household and business.
With OGSERC now fully active, Ogun State would no longer be waiting for power, rather, ownership of energy distribution had begun.
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