Power Minister Apologises Over Outages, Promises Improvement Within Two Weeks

Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has issued a public apology to Nigerians over the persistent electricity outages affecting the country, assuring that improvements in power supply could begin within two weeks.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, Adelabu acknowledged the hardship caused by the situation, particularly during the ongoing dry season marked by intense heat.

“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,” he said, noting that homes, businesses, schools, and industries have all been impacted.

The minister explained that the outages worsened after the end of the rainy season in January, when hydroelectric power generation declined significantly. As a result, the country shifted reliance to thermal power plants, which depend on gas supply.

However, gas suppliers have reportedly reduced supply due to debts owed by power generating companies, estimated at 6.3 trillion naira. This has forced several plants to shut down, contributing to the current power crisis.

Adelabu said the government has begun taking steps to address the issue, including setting up a special committee to ensure compliance with domestic gas supply obligations. He also noted that repair works on key gas infrastructure, including facilities linked to Seplat Energy, are ongoing.

According to him, commitments from gas suppliers and repair timelines give confidence that supply will begin to stabilise soon.

Looking ahead, the minister reiterated the government’s broader target of improving electricity generation, transmission, and distribution, with a goal of reaching 6,000 megawatts before the end of the year.

He added that efforts are ongoing to return the sector to the level of performance recorded in 2025, when power supply saw noticeable improvements.