Nigerians should pay higher to get stable electricity— Minister of Power

The Minister for Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has emphasized the need for Nigerians to be prepared to pay more for electricity, citing the example of neighbouring African countries like Guinea, Togo, Mali, and the Republic of Ivory Coast,  where citizens pay significantly higher rates. 

According to Punch Newspaper, he was speaking during a visit to the corporate headquarters of Ikeja Electric in Lagos State,  also highlighting the necessity of improved power supply in exchange for higher tariffs.

Addressing stakeholders in the electricity supply chain, Adelabu stressed the importance of creating conditions for the removal of electricity subsidies to facilitate a cost-reflective tariff. 

He pointed out the role of all stakeholders in overcoming the challenges facing the power sector, emphasizing the imperative for investment in power infrastructure.

“A lot of our distributors are satisfied with the status quo… We will not allow that,” Adelabu remarked. He emphasized that such investments would translate into increased revenue and improved service delivery.

Adelabu acknowledged the current outcry over low power supply, exacerbated by rising fuel costs due to subsidy removal. However, he expressed confidence that Nigerians would be willing to pay more for electricity if it provided relief from the burden of fuel expenses.

“It’s not like we have not experienced this kind of thing before, but the heat is too much now… I believe a lot of people will be ready to pay for electricity, whether at the current tariff or an increased tariff,” Adelabu stated.

Speaking further, he noted the disparity in electricity tariffs among neighboring countries, Adelabu emphasized the need for Nigerians to adapt to a full cost-reflective tariff system over the next three years.

Responding to the Minister’s remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Ikeja Electric, Folake Soetan, acknowledged the challenges facing the power sector but expressed optimism about overcoming them. 

She highlighted the progress made by Ikeja Electric in expanding its customer base and improving infrastructure, including metering over 800,000 customers and acquiring new transformers.

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