Tinubu, Atiku, Obi Clash Over Electricity Crisis, 10,000MW Promise

Tinubu, Atiku, Obi Clash Over Electricity Crisis, 10,000MW Promise

 

By Akin Alade

 

Nigeria’s persistent electricity crisis has become a major political battleground ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu defending his administration’s power sector reforms, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar questioning their effectiveness, and Peter Obi promising to deliver at least 10,000 megawatts of electricity if elected.

 

The disagreement has renewed national attention on the country’s unreliable electricity supply, rising tariffs, estimated billing and the growing financial burden on households and businesses.

 

While the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) insists that President Tinubu has introduced far-reaching reforms to address longstanding problems in the electricity industry, opposition leaders argue that Nigerians are yet to experience sufficient improvements in power supply.

 

The controversy also comes amid fresh concerns that Nigeria’s electricity generation and distribution capacity remains inadequate to support industrialisation, employment creation and sustainable economic growth.

 

Speaking through the spokesperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Council and Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, President Tinubu maintained that his administration had demonstrated a commitment to addressing the nation’s electricity challenges.

 

Alake said the President’s 2023 campaign promise on electricity should be examined in its entirety rather than interpreted without the conditions attached to the original statement.

 

He recalled that Tinubu had promised Nigerians reliable electricity and an end to estimated billing, while also stating that he would provide adequate explanations if circumstances prevented him from fulfilling the commitment before seeking re-election.

 

According to the APC campaign council, the administration has taken significant steps towards improving electricity generation, transmission, distribution and financial stability within the sector.

 

The council identified the Electricity Act of 2023, signed by Tinubu shortly after assuming office, as a major reform intended to encourage investment and decentralise electricity regulation.

 

It explained that the legislation had created opportunities for state governments to establish electricity regulatory agencies and develop independent electricity markets.

 

States including Lagos, Enugu, Abia, Ekiti, Oyo, Kaduna and Niger were identified as beneficiaries of the new regulatory framework.

 

The APC also highlighted the Presidential Metering Initiative, claiming that more than 1.5 million electricity consumers had been provided with meters over the past three years.

 

According to the council, the initiative forms part of efforts to address the national metering gap affecting millions of electricity customers.

 

The administration further defended its N4 trillion bond programme designed to settle verified outstanding debts owed to electricity generation and gas companies.

 

Alake disclosed that the first two tranches of the programme had raised more than N1.2 trillion towards settling part of the liabilities.

 

He argued that resolving the debt burden would improve investor confidence, strengthen the electricity market and encourage additional investments in generation infrastructure.

 

On transmission, the APC campaign council pointed to ongoing projects under the Presidential Power Initiative, including upgrades of existing substations, construction of new facilities and proposed improvements to the national grid.

 

The council maintained that although electricity challenges had not been completely resolved, the administration’s policies were laying the foundation for long-term improvement.

 

However, Atiku Abubakar rejected the APC’s defence, insisting that government announcements, legislative achievements and financial interventions should not be confused with reliable electricity delivered to Nigerian homes and businesses.

 

In a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku accused the ruling party of attempting to divert attention from the President’s unfulfilled campaign commitments.

 

He argued that millions of Nigerians were still experiencing unstable electricity supply despite the government’s claims of progress.

 

The former Vice President expressed concern that households and business owners continued to spend substantial amounts on generators, diesel, petrol and other alternative energy sources.

 

Atiku also questioned the electricity tariff classification system, which divides consumers into Bands A, B, C, D and E based on expected hours of electricity supply.

 

He argued that the arrangement had increased financial pressure on consumers without guaranteeing dependable service across the different categories.

 

The ADC presidential candidate specifically questioned the approximately N209.50 per kilowatt-hour charged to some Band A consumers before Value Added Tax.

 

He maintained that electricity consumers should receive services corresponding to the tariffs they pay.

 

Atiku also demanded clarification on the Federal Government’s reported plan to discontinue electricity subsidies from 2027, warning that any additional financial burden could worsen the difficulties facing households and businesses.

 

He pledged that, if elected, his administration would work with state governments and electricity regulators to review the current tariff classification system and introduce a more transparent and affordable arrangement.

 

The former Vice President further questioned the government’s bond programme, arguing that settling outstanding debts was different from constructing new electricity generation infrastructure.

 

He maintained that the success of electricity reforms should ultimately be measured by improvements in actual power supply rather than the volume of funds committed or projects announced.

 

Meanwhile, Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has introduced another dimension to the electricity debate by promising to generate, transmit and distribute at least 10,000 megawatts of electricity if elected President in 2027.

 

Speaking during a town hall meeting in Enugu, the former Anambra State governor identified reliable electricity as a major requirement for Nigeria’s economic transformation.

 

Obi argued that the country could not achieve meaningful industrial growth while manufacturers, businesses and households continued to struggle with inadequate electricity supply.

 

He maintained that improved power generation must be accompanied by corresponding investments in transmission and distribution infrastructure to ensure that electricity reaches consumers.

 

According to him, his proposed electricity programme would support industrial development, job creation and increased economic productivity.

 

The NDC presidential candidate also pledged to prioritise education, healthcare, the fight against corruption and improved public accountability.

 

Obi’s 10,000MW commitment has added a new policy target to the debate, although its implementation would require substantial investment, reliable fuel supply, transmission capacity and effective distribution networks.

 

The controversy took another dimension when former Minister of Power, Professor Bart Nnaji, declared that Nigeria required at least 100,000MW of electricity to achieve significant economic growth and compete effectively with emerging economies.

 

Speaking at the Lagos Country Club Business Forum 3.0 in Ikeja, Lagos, Nnaji expressed concern over the country’s limited electricity supply despite its considerable generation potential.

 

The former minister estimated Nigeria’s available generation capacity at approximately 13,000MW but noted that only about 4,000MW to 5,000MW was being supplied through the national grid.

 

He attributed the situation to inadequate gas supply, deteriorating transmission infrastructure, financial challenges and shortcomings associated with the 2013 electricity privatisation exercise.

 

Nnaji argued that the power sector required substantial private investment supported by a stable regulatory environment and credible financial guarantees.

 

He maintained that Nigeria’s ambition to become a major industrial economy would remain difficult to achieve without a significant expansion of electricity infrastructure.

 

The former minister also criticised aspects of the privatisation of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria, arguing that excessive emphasis on immediate financial returns had contributed to structural weaknesses in the sector.

 

His assessment highlighted the difference between the electricity currently available to consumers and the capacity required to sustain a rapidly growing economy.

 

Industry stakeholders have similarly called for improved gas supply, investment in power plants, rehabilitation of transmission facilities and stronger accountability among electricity distribution companies.

 

They also identified improved metering, transparent tariffs, reduced electricity theft and better protection for vulnerable consumers as essential components of a sustainable electricity market.

 

For millions of Nigerians, however, the immediate concern remains the availability of affordable and reliable electricity.

 

Small businesses, artisans, manufacturers, hospitality operators and other entrepreneurs continue to face operational challenges arising from unreliable public power supply.

 

The additional cost of running generators has implications for production expenses, consumer prices, employment opportunities and business competitiveness.

 

Economic analysts have consistently identified inadequate electricity infrastructure as one of the structural obstacles limiting Nigeria’s industrial development.

 

The emerging political disagreement therefore extends beyond campaign promises to broader questions about infrastructure financing, regulatory effectiveness, energy affordability and national economic productivity.

 

While the Tinubu administration points to reforms and ongoing investments, Atiku is demanding measurable results from existing policies, and Obi is proposing a specific electricity supply target as part of his presidential agenda.

 

The competing positions have placed electricity at the centre of discussions about governance and economic development ahead of the 2027 general election.

 

As political activities intensify, public scrutiny is expected to focus on how the different proposals address electricity generation, transmission capacity, distribution efficiency, metering and consumer affordability.

 

Ultimately, the national electricity debate presents an important policy question: how can Nigeria move beyond repeated promises and infrastructure announcements to establish a power system capable of supporting households, industries and long-term economic growth?

 

The answer will depend not only on political commitments but also on sustained investment, effective regulation, financial discipline and measurable improvements in electricity delivered to consumers.