The Federal Government has unveiled a roadmap to stabilise Nigeria’s electricity grid, expand transmission capacity and attract fresh investment, as it seeks to improve power supply and address persistent challenges across the electricity value chain.
Joseph Tegbe, Minister of Power, announced the priorities at the opening of the Nigeria Energy Leadership Summit and Exhibition 2026 at the Landmark Centre, Lagos. The event, which runs from October 27 to 29, is themed “Strengthening Power Delivery Through Execution, Coordination and Performance.”
Tegbe said the government must move beyond designing reforms to delivering measurable improvements in electricity supply, system reliability and the financial sustainability of the power sector.
He identified gas supply constraints, overstretched transmission infrastructure, distribution losses and accumulated industry liabilities as major obstacles requiring coordinated action.
Tegbe outlined four key priorities for the sector: strengthening strategic energy zones, improving liquidity and financial sustainability, optimising existing assets, and expanding infrastructure to meet future demand.
As part of the strategy, the government is prioritising three economic energy corridors:
- Lagos–Ogun;
- Benin–Enugu–Port Harcourt; and
- Abuja–Kaduna–Kano.
The approach is designed to better align electricity generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure with demand centres, particularly industrial and commercial hubs.
According to the minister, strengthening these corridors would improve power delivery and support industrial productivity by ensuring that electricity infrastructure responds more effectively to economic activity.
He also stressed the need to maximise the use of existing power-sector assets while expanding capacity to accommodate rising demand.
The minister identified the reduction of technical and commercial losses as another priority, highlighting initiatives such as the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI), the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DSRP) and the Meter Acquisition Fund (MAF).
These programmes are intended to improve metering, reduce revenue leakages and strengthen the financial performance of electricity distribution companies.
On the sector’s financial position, Tegbe said the government had paid N1.23 trillion out of estimated legacy liabilities of N3.3 trillion.
He added that measures were being implemented to block financial leakages and prevent the accumulation of fresh liabilities.
The government believes that addressing these financial challenges is essential to restoring confidence in the electricity market and encouraging further investment across generation, transmission and distribution.
The reforms, which align with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, are intended to translate improvements in the power sector into stronger industrial output, business expansion, investment and job creation.
The roadmap builds on Nigeria’s broader efforts to restructure its electricity market and attract private investment.
