The APC Presidential Campaign Council says President Tinubu’s 2023 electricity pledge must be assessed in its full context, citing power sector reforms, over 1.5 million new meters and a N4 trillion debt settlement programme.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s electricity pledge, urging Nigerians to consider the full context of his 2023 campaign statement and assess his administration’s performance against the reforms and investments introduced since assuming office.
The council recalled that during a meeting with members of the Organised Private Sector (OPS) in Lagos ahead of the 2023 general elections, Tinubu, then the APC presidential candidate, outlined his plans to address the longstanding structural and institutional challenges affecting Nigeria’s electricity sector.
At the meeting, Tinubu identified estimated billing as one of the major challenges confronting households and businesses, promising to tackle the problem alongside other obstacles preventing Nigerians from enjoying stable and reliable electricity supply.
His statement at the event was:
“Whichever way, by all means necessary, you will have electricity, and you will not pay for estimated bills anymore. A promise made will be a promise kept. If I don’t keep the promise and I come for a second term, don’t vote for me, unless I give you adequate reasons why I couldn’t deliver.”
According to the APC Presidential Campaign Council, some recent public discussions have quoted the President’s electricity pledge without including its concluding qualification, in which he acknowledged his responsibility to provide Nigerians with adequate explanations if his administration failed to meet the commitment before seeking a second term.
The council maintained that a balanced assessment of the promise should consider the complete statement, as well as the administration’s record in addressing electricity supply challenges, expanding metering infrastructure, strengthening the national grid and improving the financial stability of the power sector.
It acknowledged that Nigeria’s electricity crisis remains unresolved but insisted that President Tinubu has maintained his commitment to tackling the sector’s longstanding challenges.
Tinubu’s Electricity Act Reform Opens Power Sector to States
Highlighting the administration’s achievements, the council pointed to the Electricity Act, 2023, which President Tinubu signed into law on June 9, 2023, less than two weeks after assuming office.
The legislation introduced a major restructuring of Nigeria’s electricity industry by allowing state governments to establish electricity markets within their jurisdictions and participate more actively in power generation, transmission and distribution, subject to the provisions of the law.
According to the council, the reform has created opportunities for states to develop independent electricity regulatory frameworks, attract private investment and improve power supply within their territories.
States, including Lagos, Enugu, Abia, Ekiti, Oyo, Kaduna and Niger, have begun taking advantage of the new legal framework by establishing their electricity regulatory agencies and exploring opportunities to attract private capital into their respective power markets.
The development is expected to encourage competition, expand electricity generation and distribution capacity, and provide states with greater control over electricity delivery.
Presidential Metering Initiative Targets Estimated Billing
The APC Presidential Campaign Council also highlighted the Presidential Metering Initiative, introduced to address Nigeria’s substantial metering deficit and reduce the burden of estimated billing on electricity consumers.
According to the council, more than 1.5 million electricity customers have been metered under the initiative within the last three years.
The programme is part of broader efforts to close a metering gap estimated at more than seven million customers, improve billing transparency and strengthen confidence in the electricity market.
The council said expanding access to prepaid and smart meters would help protect consumers from arbitrary billing practices while improving revenue collection across the electricity value chain.
N4 Trillion Programme to Address Electricity Sector Debt
On the financial challenges confronting the sector, the council said the Tinubu administration had taken steps to address more than N6 trillion in legacy debts accumulated between 2015 and 2025.
As part of the intervention, the Federal Government established a N4 trillion bond programme aimed at settling verified outstanding debts owed to 21 electricity generation companies (GenCos) and gas suppliers, commonly referred to as GasCos.
The initiative is designed to address longstanding payment obligations, restore confidence among power sector investors and improve the liquidity required to sustain electricity generation and supply.
The administration has also adjusted electricity tariffs towards cost-reflective levels as part of efforts to improve the financial sustainability of the market, while putting measures in place to protect low-income households.
The council said these interventions were necessary to address the financial imbalances that have weakened the electricity industry and discouraged investment over the years.
Solar Power Projects and National Grid Expansion
Beyond market reforms and metering, the APC campaign council highlighted ongoing investments in electricity infrastructure, including renewable energy projects and plans to modernise Nigeria’s national grid.
It noted that the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) had connected universities, hospitals and rural communities to solar power through various electrification initiatives.
These interventions are expected to improve access to electricity, particularly in underserved communities and public institutions that require reliable power for essential services.
The administration has also unveiled plans to modernise the Osogbo Grid Control Centre, an electricity infrastructure facility built more than 60 years ago, as part of efforts to improve grid management and operational efficiency.
Another major proposal is the development of an East-West super grid designed to strengthen electricity transmission capacity and improve power distribution across the country.
According to the council, investments in substations, transmission infrastructure and grid expansion remain central to the administration’s strategy for building a more reliable electricity system.
APC Urges Balanced Assessment of Tinubu’s Electricity Pledge
The APC Presidential Campaign Council maintained that President Tinubu’s 2023 electricity promise should not be assessed solely on isolated campaign quotations but against the wider context of the commitment and the administration’s efforts to reform the sector.
It argued that the Electricity Act, Presidential Metering Initiative, legacy debt settlement programme, renewable energy investments and planned grid modernisation represent important steps towards addressing the structural problems that have affected Nigeria’s electricity industry for decades.
However, the ultimate measure of the administration’s performance will remain tangible improvements in electricity availability, reliable power supply, fair billing practices and the financial sustainability of the sector.
The council reiterated that the Tinubu administration remains committed to addressing the challenges and delivering a more efficient, accessible and sustainable electricity system for Nigerians.
