he power minister says electricity has returned to parts of Lagos, while outlining a $2bn east-west super grid project expected to raise transmission capacity to 19,000MW.

Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe says the recent electricity supply disruptions affecting parts of Nigeria have been resolved, but projects that the country may have to wait another three to five years to enjoy more stable power.

Tegbe gave the assurance on Monday during an interview on a TVC television programme monitored by TheCable, following outages reported in four states, including Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

On November 7, the minister attributed the disruptions to planned maintenance at Egbin Power Station, gas supply constraints affecting some thermal power plants and the sabotage of transmission lines. He said the problems had reduced electricity available on the national grid, forcing operators to introduce load shedding in some areas.

Speaking on Monday, Tegbe said the maintenance had been completed and the immediate challenges addressed.

“Number one, we’ve sorted out this little challenge we had in the last few days. It was painful for most of you. But look, we fixed it. And we will ensure that that stability remains. My focus is to ensure grid stability,” he said.

Minister says power has returned to parts of Lagos

Addressing the situation in Lagos, Tegbe said electricity had been restored to several areas by Sunday night, adding that he had personally contacted people in the affected locations.

“I’m sure in Lagos, I confirm as at last night because I made personal calls, Ajah, Lekki, Ikoyi, Magodo, Ikeja, lights are back,” he said.

“And people have attested to it, people have sent me messages. Nigerians, again, I appeal to you, just bear with us, we’ll get there.”

The minister’s account of restoration in the named areas was based on the checks and feedback he said he had received. He did not provide figures on the number of affected customers whose supply had been restored or details of the repairs carried out on the transmission lines.

Tegbe said the government was working to sustain improvements, but acknowledged that achieving reliable electricity would require more investment in generation and transmission infrastructure.

“Honestly speaking, you already see some visible improvement despite the challenge we have had. By the time we fix the grid…okay? I’ll look at the horizon of about three to five years from now,” he said.

“Infrastructure build out is not done overnight. Even when we fix some of the challenges we have today, we need to build the capacity.

“Everybody’s building capacity for AI, for data. Most young people work from home, and because of that, there’s a need for bandwidth and for electricity supply.”

FG plans $2bn east-west super grid

As part of the longer-term plans, Tegbe said the Federal Government was planning to invest $2 billion in an east-west super grid to strengthen the country’s electricity transmission network.

The proposed infrastructure would connect Funtua, Gwagwalada, Ikot Ekpene, Benin, Epe and Ilorin. According to the minister, it would complement existing transmission facilities rather than replace them.

He said the government had begun the procurement process and expected the project to be completed within two years.

Tegbe said the investment was expected to increase the grid’s transmission capacity from about 4,000 megawatts to 19,000 megawatts. He also projected greater private sector participation in electricity transmission within the next two to three years.

The 19,000MW figure is a projected transmission capacity, not a promise that the country will immediately generate or deliver that amount of electricity to consumers. Achieving better supply will also depend on the availability of gas and other generation inputs, the performance of power plants and the capacity of distribution networks to deliver electricity.

Tegbe said the proposed investment, alongside efforts to optimise existing infrastructure, would help the country meet rising demand.

“So give me a time horizon of three to five years. Nigeria will enjoy stable life. And as demand improves, it will get better,” he said.

The minister said the government’s immediate priority was to improve the performance of existing electricity infrastructure while developing additional capacity.

He appealed to Nigerians to be patient, acknowledging the difficulties households and businesses face because of inadequate electricity supply.