The High Cost Of Darkness: Unpacking Nigeria’s Power Sector Woes

Nigeria’s power sector is in dire need of improvement, considering the significant electricity challenges presently plaguing the country.

However, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu has stated that ₦8 billion would be spent to educate Nigerians through various media channels on the timely payment of electricity bills.

According to him, this initiative aims to address the challenges of power theft, poor payment habits, and the protection of national power assets.

He noted that many Nigerians still need to understand that electricity is not a free resource and that the sector’s infrastructure and assets must be protected to ensure a stable power supply across the nation.

“Our people need to understand that paying their electricity bills is essential to maintaining the infrastructure that powers homes, businesses, and industries,” Adelabu said.

What Do Nigerians Think

However, Nigerians, while speaking to Naijaonpoint, have questioned the logic behind spending such an amount to sensitise Nigerians on paying bills and have suggested that the  money should be diverted to more pressing challenges.

Sam from Ogun,

“I think the idea of using ₦8 billion to sensitise Nigerians on the importance of paying their Electricity bill is a right step in the wrong direction. I think that money should be used to address preferably, first and foremost the issue of vandalism.

“The issue of vandals stealing cables and electrical appliances which has led to the constant grid collapse. Recently there was an outage in Abuja which affected Aso Rock the TCN stated that it was due to vandals. So I think this particular money should go into that because you can’t lecture people on paying their Electricity on time if they are not getting light on time. The minister of power has also lamented on the debt they are being owed. Late last year TCN released a list of debtors and it included some universities and Aso Rock itself.

“There was an issue in UITH where their electricity was disconnected and they had to go back and forth and even the army headquarters they disconnected their power because of the electricity fee they are owing. So it is obvious that it is not just Nigerians that are owing but even the government parastatals themselves are also owing. So even if they want to lecture Nigerians, the focus should start from the government first. Including the FCT Minister, he is also owing. If those pay their electricity bill on time it would make Nigerians pay their bills on time. The issue of power supply is funny in Nigeria.

“The supply of power varies depending on the band you are in. There are certain people in some bands that are complaining that despite the band they are in they do not get the equivalent of the power supply. However in my place where I stay we are currently in Band B and band B is supposed to get at least 16hrs light per day and I can tell you for free in my area where I stay. We are not under Ikeja Electric we are under Ibadan Electric. I stay in Ogun State. But we don’t get up to 10hrs of light. You cannot ask me to come to a seminar lecturing me on how to pay my electricity bill when I am not getting the electricity on time in the first place. My honest opinion is that this particular money should be channeled into addressing the issue of vandalisation. If we are able to address the issue of vandalisation then we can curb the issue of constant grid collapse.

“If this issue had been resolved them we can move to paying the electricity bills on time. Also for those owing debt Nigerians should not be the first target. The institutions and government parastatals that are owing should be the their primary focus and make sure they recover their money. There was a report on Punch that lack of funding is one of the reason why maintaining the national grid has not being feasible. I would not attend a seminar on how to pay electricity bills early. I would attend one that addresses how to address the electricity supply challenges.”

Tope from Abulegba, Lagos

“The electricity challenges in my area are significant. We typically have a one-day-on, one-day-off schedule. However, even on days when power is available, it’s often supplied at odd hours, like midnight to around 5 a.m., or at best, 7 a.m. This timing is incredibly inconvenient and counterproductive.

“This year, I had plans to focus on self-improvement, learn new skills, and work effectively from home. Unfortunately, the lack of reliable power has made it nearly impossible. I often struggle to charge my laptop and complete tasks. As a result, I have to rely on a generator, which comes with its own challenges fuel is expensive, and the constant noise is extremely disruptive.

“It feels like a waste of time and just another opportunity for greedy politicians to profit. The concept of paying electricity bills is straightforward. Just like you need to recharge your airtime to make calls, paying for electricity is a given. I don’t see the need for a seminar to explain something so obvious.

“As I mentioned earlier, this feels like another example of greedy politicians at work. That 8 billion naira could be far better spent on repairing the national grid, which constantly faces issues. Even someone with little knowledge would understand that spending such a large sum on a seminar is a waste, especially when there are more pressing problems to address.”

Patrick from Fagba, Lagos

“It is absolutely ridiculous to propose ₦8 billion naira to teach Nigerians how to use a prepaid meter, and Adebayo Adelabu’s plan seems like a blatant attempt to embezzle funds, especially considering the country’s history of impunity, like the case of former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, who was arraigned for alleged ₦33.8 billion fraud, and yet, nothing happened. In my area the power supply has improved slightly, with sometimes up to 20 hours of constant power supply, but the tariffs are still exorbitant, with the cost of running an AC for 24 hours exceeding 50 to 70,000 naira per month, which is even more than the minimum wage, it’s like they’re taking advantage of the people.”

Mrs Orojo From Ibeju Lekki

“I stay at Ibeju Lekki area. We have not had light for four days in my area. I think one of the reason is because we have a small transformer. The transformer cannot power everybody houses. When we use the light a little, the transformer spoils and before they come to fix it. It will take time. We will not have power for some time before they come to fix it. That is what we are facing. When the transformer is good we have light to an extent, sometimes the power voltage will reduce and it would not be able to power your bulb because of the small transformer. I am not enjoying Nigeria’s electricity in my area. We need a bigger transformer and we will not mind to have 24, 20 or 18hrs light. Let us see light, when there is light, there is happiness and peace. This ₦8 billion that is meant for the sensitisation let them use it to provide jobs for Nigerians. People will pay their bills on time if they have jobs. Even if you teach me how to pay my bills early will you give me money to pay the bill. The electricity bill is also too much let them have mercy on us”

Henrietta from Ibeju lekki

“Nepa bills is basically ok, because we are getting constant electricity in my area. I can’t remember the last time we bought fuel in my house because light is ok. We are not complaining because we are getting our money worth. They take our light on very few occasions. The light situation is good. I think that ₦8billion should be diverted to the national grid. Because the national grid is always tripping off.

“Sometime last year, our light situation was not good. However, I think it was placed on band B and that is the reason it became better

“The only time time we have issues is when our transformer is bad but when it is fixed everything goes back to normal.”

An Industry Expert Submission

In an effort to garner insight from an industry expert, Naijaonpoint consulted with a senior official at Eko Electricity Distribution Company, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

What are your thoughts on the Minister of Power’s proposal to spend 8 billion naira on sensitizing Nigerians about paying electricity bills?

“My thoughts; considering the country’s challenges in the power sector, ₦8 billion naira is a hefty price placed on sensitizing Nigerians on how to pay electricity bills.

“Anyways, the initiative isn’t a bad idea because of some uneducated people in the society but this huge amount can be channelled into ensuring the stability of power supply in Nigeria.”

How effective do you think this sensitization campaign will change Nigerians’ behaviour towards paying electricity bills?

“I mentioned that sensitizing Nigerians on how to pay electricity isn’t a bad idea, but that shouldn’t be the next point of action regarding electricity in Nigeria”

Do you consider the proposed 8 billion naira budget a wise use of funds, especially considering the country’s current economic challenges?

“The country’s current economic situation does not give room for unwise spending therefore this proposal should be nullified. If this proposal reoccurred, such an amount should not come alongside it.

Electricity And National Development

The importance of sufficient electricity generation, transmission and distribution cannot be underplayed in a nation’s development.

A 2024 Africa Trade Barometer report by the Standard Bank revealed that the power challenges in Nigeria have resulted in an estimated annual economic loss of $26bn.

The report revealed that businesses spend about $22bn yearly on off-grid fuel to mitigate the impact of unreliable electricity, further exacerbating operational costs

The report read, “In Nigeria, surveyed businesses must contend with a national grid that frequently collapses as it fails to meet a daily peak demand which is nearly four times its generation capacity. Economic losses arising from Nigeria’s electricity shortages are estimated to be $26bn annually, without accounting for spending on fuel for off-grid generators, which is estimated to be a further $22bn.”

It identified electricity supply as a critical barrier to business operations in Nigeria and some other African countries.

“Blackouts cause a downtime of production, risk the quality of goods that require controlled environments, impact water supply, and affect telecommunications infrastructure which businesses may rely on for payments. The result is reduced sales and income,” the report noted.

Adelabu, during the 2025 presentation, stated that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) would require about ₦2.77 trillion to complete 149 ongoing projects.

According to him, the power situation in the economy would improve after the projects have been successfully completed.

However, the disclosure that the Federal Government would spend ₦8 billion to sensitize Nigerians on paying their Electricity bills makes one wonder if the ₦2.77 trillion would be properly utilized to combat the electricity situation or spent on unnecessary endeavours that have no meaningful impact.

To effectively address Nigeria’s power sector challenges, it is imperative that key issues be prioritized. These include enhancing power generation capacity, upgrading transmission and distribution infrastructure, combating vandalism, ensuring stable gas supply, and implementing cost-reflective pricing mechanisms.

By focusing on these critical areas, the country can make meaningful progress in resolving its persistent power sector difficulties.