Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, Adelabu acknowledged the hardship caused by the blackouts, particularly as extreme heat continues to drive up demand for electricity. He noted that homes, businesses, schools, and industries have all been affected.
“I want to apologize to Nigerians, officially now, coming from me as the minister of power, for this temporary issue that is leading to hardship being experienced, especially during this dry season, where there is so much heat everywhere. Businesses are being affected, schools have been affected, and industries have been affected,” he said.
The minister explained that the crisis is largely linked to gas supply challenges, including pipeline maintenance and delays, which have disrupted power generation in a sector heavily dependent on gas-fired plants. He added that some of the factors are beyond the government’s direct control.
Despite the situation, Adelabu expressed optimism that improvements will be seen soon, revealing that repair timelines and commitments from gas suppliers are already in place.
“I can tell you… two weeks from now, we should start seeing improvements in supply. Two weeks,” he stated.
He also disclosed that a special committee has been set up to monitor compliance by gas companies with domestic supply obligations to power plants, while efforts are being made to improve payment structures to encourage consistent supply.
Adelabu assured Nigerians that the government remains committed to stabilising the power sector and boosting generation capacity, with a target of reaching 6,000 megawatts by the end of 2026.
“We are working on it 24/7… Power generation will improve, transmission will improve, distribution will improve, and those 6,000 megawatts will be achieved… and Nigerians will be better for it,” he added.
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