Tinubu's Electricity Promises and Progress Towards 2027 Elections

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council says President Bola Tinubu will share his achievements in the power sector. He will also explain any failures in meeting his electricity promises as he aims for re-election in 2027.

The campaign council noted that the president is still dedicated to ending estimated billing and improving power supply. They admitted that Nigeria's long-standing power challenges are still not fully resolved.

In a statement on Sunday, the council’s spokesperson, Dele Alake, called on Nigerians to look at the whole picture of Mr Tinubu’s promise. He pointed out that some recent comments failed to include Mr Tinubu’s promise to give valid reasons for any failures.

During a meeting with the Organised Private Sector in Lagos before the 2023 elections, Mr Tinubu promised to end estimated billing and ensure steady electricity supply.

“Whichever way, by all means necessary, you will have electricity, and you will not pay for estimated bills anymore,” he said.

He added that if he did not keep this promise, Nigerians should not vote for him in a second term unless he explained why he could not deliver.

Mr Alake stressed that a fair evaluation of the promise should include the full statement and the administration’s record since taking office in May 2023.

He mentioned the signing of the Electricity Act 2023, the Presidential Metering Initiative, the settlement of past debts, and investment in transmission infrastructure as key actions taken.

According to him, Mr Tinubu signed the Electricity Act on 9 June 2023, just under two weeks after he took office. This law allows state governments to take part in electricity generation, distribution, and transmission.

He noted that Lagos, Enugu, Abia, Ekiti, Oyo, Kaduna, and Niger states have started using this law to set up their own electricity regulatory bodies and draw in private investment.

The spokesperson also highlighted that the administration faced over N6 trillion in debts from 2015 to 2025. To tackle this, they introduced a N4 trillion bond program to pay verified debts to 21 electricity generation and gas companies.

He said that the first two parts of this program raised over N1.2 trillion to help settle these debts.

On metering, Mr Alake explained that the Presidential Metering Initiative was launched to meet a gap of over seven million meters. He noted that over 1.5 million customers have been metered under this program in the last three years.

He also mentioned the Rural Electrification Agency's work to connect universities, hospitals, and rural areas to solar power.

The administration has plans to modernize the Osogbo Grid Control Centre, which has been around for over 60 years, and to build an East-West super grid.

Mr Alake shared that the Federal Executive Council approved the first set of five Transmission Company of Nigeria substations for upgrades in December 2024. These projects are expected to finish before the end of the administration’s first term.

He added that another batch of projects was approved in June 2026. This includes building eight new substations and upgrading four existing ones.

According to him, these projects need special equipment that takes time to procure and deliver, making quick completion impossible.

On electricity tariffs, Mr Alake said the administration is working to align tariffs with costs to improve the electricity market's finances. They also introduced service bands to balance distribution companies' needs with what consumers can afford.

He mentioned that the government is putting measures in place to protect low-income families while continuing to invest in substations and grid expansion.

The spokesperson pointed out recent investments by Geregu Power Plc in new power transformers to enhance operations at its Geregu 1 Power Plant as proof that their efforts are attracting new investments.

He also said Mr Tinubu reviewed the Presidential Power Initiative from the late President Muhammadu Buhari and signed an agreement with German partners in December 2023 to speed up projects to improve the national transmission grid.

“Fixing the electricity market and power sector is ongoing work,” Mr Alake said.

He insisted that the president has not given up on his electricity promise and will share his administration’s successes and challenges with Nigerians as he seeks a second term.