Adebayo Adelabu has issued an apology to Nigerians over the ongoing power outages experienced across the country in recent weeks.
The minister made the statement on Tuesday, March 24, during a press briefing in Abuja. Electricity distribution companies have attributed the drop in supply to insufficient gas availability for thermal power plants.
Speaking at the event, Adelabu acknowledged the difficulties caused by the outages, especially during the dry season when demand for electricity rises due to increased heat.
“I want to apologise 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,” he said
He further highlighted the broader impact of the situation on various sectors.
“Businesses are being affected, schools have been affected, and industries have been affected. It is not our wish to find ourselves in this situation, but it is due to some factors that are actually beyond our control,” Adelabu added.
The minister assured citizens that steps are being taken to improve the situation and provided a timeline for recovery.
“I can tell you, with the committee that we have set up, and commitments from gas suppliers, and the timeline for repair of the gas pipelines, two weeks from now, we should start seeing improvements in supply” he said
He also revealed that a dedicated committee has been established to monitor gas producers and ensure they meet their domestic supply obligations to power plants.
“We already have a committee that is working on this to track compliance with the domestic supply obligations of these gas companies to our power plants,” he said