‘I’m sorry’ — Power minister apologises over persistent blackouts

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has apologised to Nigerians over the persistent electricity outages across the country, admitting that the situation has worsened hardship for households and businesses.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, Adelabu acknowledged the growing frustration among citizens, particularly as rising temperatures have increased demand for electricity.

“I want to apologise to Nigerians for this temporary issue that is leading to hardship being experienced, especially during this dry season where there is so much heat everywhere,” he said.

The minister noted that the outages have significantly affected homes, schools, and industries, stressing that the government does not intend to subject Nigerians to such difficulties.

“Businesses are being affected, schools have been affected, and industries have been affected. It is not our wish to find ourselves in this situation,” Adelabu added.

He attributed the disruption largely to challenges in gas supply, explaining that many power plants rely heavily on gas, which has been constrained by pipeline maintenance and other operational issues.

Despite the current situation, Adelabu assured Nigerians that efforts are underway to restore stable electricity supply, expressing optimism that noticeable improvement would begin within two weeks.

“With commitments from gas suppliers and the timeline for repairs of the gas pipelines, we should start seeing improvements in supply soon,” he said.

The minister also disclosed that a special committee has been set up to monitor gas supply compliance and ensure that power plants receive adequate fuel to boost generation.

He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to improving the power sector, noting that plans are in place to increase electricity generation to 6,000 megawatts before the end of 2026.

Adelabu further assured that the current challenges are temporary and that the government remains focused on delivering better power supply across the country.