By Felicia Udeji
Nigerians are slamming Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, for his recent statement that 40% of Nigerians now enjoy 20 hours of electricity supply daily. Many are calling out the minister, saying “40% no be pass mark” – meaning that’s not a passing grade.
The minister made this claim yesterday while reviewing his one year in office.
He claimed that this feat was achieved thanks to “revolutionary measures” taken by the government, but data from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission shows that average power generation was only 4,150 Megawatts in August, serving a population of over 200 million people. This has left many questioning the accuracy of Adelabu’s statement.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda aims to galvanize the economy, and Adelabu credits the president’s support for the increased power supply. However, Nigerians are unhappy with the current state of electricity in the country, with only 13% saying they have power that works averagely.
Adelabu highlighted the removal of electricity subsidy for about two million customers in Band A, promising at least 20 hours of power supply daily.
“The ministry’s goal is to generate over 5,500 megawatts of power by the end of the year,” he said.
Nigerians however demand tangible results, not just promises. As one critic put it, “40% is not enough; we need reliable electricity for all, not just a select few.”