Power minister says Nigerians are begging him to slow down because freezers are freezing due to 18 hours power supply

• Power Minister Joseph Tegbe said some Nigerians asked him to “slow down” over improved electricity supply.

• He said some areas that lacked power for months now receive up to 18 hours of electricity.

• The minister said residents joked that their freezers were now constantly freezing.

• Tegbe linked the improvement to ongoing efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s power sector.

Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has said some Nigerians have jokingly asked him to “slow down” because their freezers are now working continuously as a result of improved electricity supply in some areas.

Tegbe made the comment while speaking at the commissioning of a 3-megawatt solar hybrid power project at Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja, where he highlighted recent efforts by the government to improve electricity availability.

According to the minister, some communities that previously experienced prolonged power outages have started receiving longer hours of electricity supply.

He said some Nigerians who had struggled with poor power supply contacted him to complain that their appliances were now running more frequently.

“Places that didn’t have light at all for three months are now having 18 hours light. Some areas called me to say, look, I should slow down, that everything in their freezer is freezing,” Tegbe said.

The minister said the comments were made jokingly by residents who were adjusting to the longer electricity supply after spending extended periods without reliable power.

Tegbe added that improved electricity access was the goal of ongoing interventions in the power sector, saying households and businesses needed consistent supply to make better use of electrical appliances.

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The minister also said he had promised during his Senate screening that Nigerians would begin to notice improvements in electricity supply within three to six months.

The remarks come amid continued efforts by the Federal Government to increase power generation, improve transmission infrastructure and expand access to electricity across the country.

Nigeria’s electricity sector has faced longstanding challenges, including inadequate generation capacity, transmission limitations, distribution problems and infrastructure gaps, which have contributed to frequent outages experienced by many consumers.