Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu has issued a formal apology to the public regarding the persistent blackout in the country. He acknowledged the burden this disruption has caused households and the country’s economy.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, the minister noted that the blackout has made life harder for Nigerians, particularly while dealing with the current heatwave.
Adelabu said, “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.
“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.”
Despite the current challenges, Adelabu promised the citizens that the situation would soon improve, offering a clear timeline for when the power supply is expected to stabilise.
“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,” the minister said.
He noted that the government already has projections for the completion of critical repairs, particularly those involving facilities operated by Seplat Energy, which are expected to restore gas flow to power plants.
According to Adelabu, a dedicated committee has been constituted to ensure gas producers meet their domestic supply commitments—an issue blamed for limiting electricity generation in the country.
“We already have a committee that is working on this to track compliance with the domestic supply obligations of these gas companies to our power plants,” he said, adding that improved payment flow would also encourage suppliers to deliver more gas.
Nigeria’s electricity sector, which relies heavily on gas-powered plants, has faced setbacks due to supply disruptions, pipeline maintenance issues, and financial constraints affecting operators.
Adelabu acknowledged these systemic challenges but stressed that efforts are ongoing to stabilise the grid and restore consistent supply.
“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,” he said.
He also reiterated the federal government's commitment to ramping up electricity output to 6,000 megawatts before the end of 2026, describing the current disruption as a temporary deviation from a broader improvement plan.
“Power generation will improve, transmission will improve, distribution will improve, and those 6,000 megawatts will be achieved before the end of this year, and Nigerians will be better for it,” the minister assured.
He added that the government’s aim is not only to recover lost ground but also to surpass previous performance levels.
“If we could provide such service in 2025, this is 2026; we are willing to do more, to even do better,” Adelabu said.
