Approximately 150 million Nigerians now have access to electricity, according to the Minister of Power, Adedayo Adelabu, who disclosed the figure on Thursday during the 2025 Ministerial Sectoral Update Conference held in Abuja.
While hailing the achievement, the minister acknowledged that 80 million Nigerians still lack reliable electricity access, stressing that true progress must be measured not only by access but by the stability, consistency, and affordability of power supply.
The minister attributed the latest progress to Nigeria’s active participation in the “Mission 300” initiative, a joint effort by the World Bank and African Development Bank (AfDB) aimed at expanding electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030.
“Out of the 300 million Africans targeted, Nigeria is on track to account for no less than 25 per cent—that’s 75 million people. When we presented our compact, the development partners agreed with our ambition,” Adelabu stated.
He emphasised that Nigeria’s population of over 240 million makes its role critical to the success of the Mission 300 programme. According to him, the country’s current ability to provide electricity to 150 million citizens reflects tangible progress, but the challenge remains the unreliability of access in many regions.
“The real issue isn’t just whether people are connected—it’s about whether that access is reliable and affordable,” he said. “Power must be consistent and within reach financially to be truly meaningful.”
Adelabu urged international development partners and financiers to prioritise investments not only in off-grid and renewable energy solutions, often targeted at rural communities, but also in national grid infrastructure, which supports industries and urban populations.
“We must be careful not to rely exclusively on renewables. Yes, they are appropriate for rural settings, but strengthening the national grid is crucial for powering cities, industries, and economic growth,” he warned.
He cited an increasing number of businesses disconnecting from the national grid and adopting captive power generation, a trend he said reflects concerns over grid reliability.
Providing further updates on Nigeria’s energy output, Adelabu announced that the country’s power generation has increased to 6,003 megawatts, an improvement of 1,700MW since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in 2023.
“We’re targeting 8,000 megawatts by the end of the president’s first term and ultimately reaching 23,000MW to meet the benchmarks of advanced economies,” he projected.
The minister also confirmed that the long-awaited Kaduna Power Plant would become operational before the end of 2025.
On the persistent issue of electricity metering, Adelabu assured that the metering gap—a major source of billing disputes and inefficiency—“will soon be a thing of the past,” as government-backed initiatives gain traction.
He also addressed recent tariff reforms, noting that the changes have generated approximately ₦700 billion in additional revenue for the power sector.
“These reforms, while difficult, are critical to ensuring the financial viability of the sector and enabling us to deliver long-term improvements,” he noted.
Adelabu reiterated the federal government’s commitment to delivering reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity to all Nigerians. He called for continued collaboration between the private sector, international development partners, and the federal and subnational governments to tackle the challenges that persist in the sector.
“Nigeria is progressing, but we still have a long road ahead,” he concluded. “Our goal remains universal, reliable access to electricity for all Nigerians—rural and urban, residential and industrial.”
