By Ahmed M. Makarfi
The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council has outlined measures taken by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to address Nigeria’s electricity challenges, including his 2023 campaign promise to end estimated billing.
The Council’s spokesperson, Dele Alake, stated this in a statement issued on Sunday while responding to public criticism over the President’s failure to fully fulfil the pledge.
He recalled that Tinubu had promised stable electricity supply and an end to estimated billing, while undertaking to explain any shortcomings before seeking a second term.
Alake said the administration began power sector reforms shortly after assuming office by signing the Electricity Act 2023, which allows state governments to participate in electricity generation, transmission and distribution.
He noted that states such as Lagos, Kaduna, Niger and Oyo had established electricity regulatory agencies under the new law, saying the government inherited more than six trillion naira in outstanding power sector debts and introduced a four-trillion-naira bond programme to settle verified liabilities owed to electricity generation and gas companies.
According to him, more than 1.5 million electricity customers have been metered under the Presidential Metering Initiative.
Alake explained that the administration had also introduced tariff reforms aimed at improving the financial stability of the electricity market while protecting low-income consumers.
He identified investments in substations, solar power projects and plans to modernise the national grid as part of ongoing efforts to improve electricity supply.
The spokesperson further disclosed that the government was accelerating the Presidential Power Initiative inherited from the previous administration, including projects to construct new substations and upgrade existing facilities. He said the Federal Executive Council approved another batch of projects in June 2026.
Alake maintained that addressing the country’s electricity challenges remained a work in progress, adding that President Tinubu would present his administration’s achievements and explain outstanding issues to Nigerians as he seeks a second term.
