Power Minister Joseph Tegbe blames Lagos and other states’ blackouts on Egbin maintenance, gas shortages and transmission line sabotage, promises improvement within 72 hours
Lagos Blackout: Tegbe Explains Power Outages, Promises Relief
The Federal Government has attributed the worsening electricity outages affecting Lagos and three other states to planned maintenance at Egbin Power Station, gas supply constraints and alleged sabotage of critical transmission lines, assuring consumers that electricity supply should begin to improve within 48 to 72 hours.
The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, acknowledging the growing hardship the prolonged blackouts have imposed on households and businesses in the affected areas, including Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory.
According to the minister, the combined impact of reduced electricity generation and disruptions to transmission infrastructure has significantly lowered the volume of power available on the national grid, forcing grid operators to introduce load shedding in some locations to manage the shortfall.
Tegbe identified planned maintenance at Egbin Power Station, one of Nigeria’s major electricity generating facilities, alongside inadequate gas supply to some thermal power plants, as major factors behind the decline in generation.
He explained that the situation had been compounded by sabotage of critical transmission lines, which has restricted the availability of alternative routes for electricity transmission, particularly to parts of Lagos.
“I am aware of the strain that the current outages have placed on households and businesses in four affected states, including Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory,” the minister said.
He added that the ministry was working with relevant power sector operators to address the challenges and restore electricity supply in phases.
“My team and I are working to return the affected generating units to service in phases, with the first units coming back online within the next 48 to 72 hours,” he said.
The minister also disclosed that efforts were underway to improve gas availability to thermal power stations and accelerate repairs to damaged transmission infrastructure, which he identified as essential to restoring stability across the electricity network.
“We are also working with operators to improve gas supply and accelerate repairs to the damaged infrastructure,” Tegbe said.
He thanked electricity consumers for their patience and understanding, assuring them that the Federal Government would continue to provide updates as the affected generating units return to operation and power supply gradually improves.
The minister’s assurance comes amid mounting complaints from electricity consumers, particularly in Lagos, where prolonged outages have disrupted household activities, commercial operations and business productivity.
Small businesses, manufacturers and other electricity-dependent enterprises have also faced increased pressure from the need to rely on petrol and diesel generators to sustain their operations, adding to their already rising operating costs.
The latest disruption has renewed concerns over the reliability of Nigeria’s electricity supply system, particularly the vulnerability of power generation and transmission to gas shortages, infrastructure damage and operational challenges.
Although Tegbe’s 48-to-72-hour timeline offers a window for the return of the first affected generating units, the minister’s statement does not amount to a guarantee of full restoration across all affected locations within that period.
