The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2023 campaign promise to end estimated electricity billing and improve power supply, insisting that the commitment must be assessed alongside the administration’s policies and achievements since assuming office.
The council said public discussions about Tinubu’s electricity pledge had omitted an important part of his campaign statement in which he promised to provide Nigerians with adequate explanations if his administration failed to deliver before seeking a second term.
In a statement issued on November 1, 2026, and signed by Dele Alake, spokesperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, the ruling party maintained that Tinubu had not abandoned his commitment to fixing Nigeria’s electricity sector.
Tinubu made the promise during a meeting with members of the Organised Private Sector in Lagos ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
He had pledged that Nigerians would have access to electricity without the burden of estimated billing.
The President had also challenged Nigerians not to re-elect him if he failed to fulfil the promise without providing adequate reasons for the shortcomings.
According to the campaign council, the President’s electricity commitment should be evaluated against measurable improvements in electricity generation, distribution, metering, infrastructure and the financial stability of the power market.
Tinubu’s Electricity Sector Reforms
The APC campaign council identified the Electricity Act 2023 as one of the administration’s major interventions in the power sector.
It said Tinubu signed the legislation on June 9, 2023, barely two weeks after assuming office.
The law decentralised electricity regulation by allowing state governments to establish their own electricity markets and participate in generation, transmission and distribution.
The council listed Lagos, Enugu, Abia, Ekiti, Oyo, Kaduna and Niger among states that have begun taking advantage of the legislation by establishing electricity regulatory agencies and attracting private investments.
It also said the administration inherited more than N6 trillion in accumulated legacy debts in the electricity sector between 2015 and 2025.
To address the financial challenges, the Federal Government introduced a N4 trillion bond programme designed to settle verified debts owed to 21 electricity generation companies (GenCos) and gas suppliers.
The first two tranches of the programme have reportedly raised more than N1.2 trillion to begin settling the outstanding obligations.
According to the council, the intervention is intended to restore confidence among electricity operators and encourage fresh investments in power generation.
Over 1.5 Million Electricity Customers Metered
The APC campaign council also highlighted the Presidential Metering Initiative, introduced to address Nigeria’s electricity metering deficit.
It said more than 1.5 million electricity customers had been metered under the programme in the last three years.
The initiative is expected to reduce estimated billing and improve transparency in electricity consumption and payments.
The council added that the Rural Electrification Agency had connected universities, hospitals and rural communities to solar-powered electricity projects.
It also disclosed that the Federal Government was pursuing plans to modernise the Osogbo Grid Control Centre, which it described as more than 60 years old, alongside the development of an East-West super grid.
Government Defends Electricity Tariff Reforms
On electricity tariffs, the campaign council said Tinubu’s administration had introduced cost-reflective pricing measures to improve the financial sustainability of the electricity market.
It explained that the introduction of different electricity service bands was designed to improve revenue generation for distribution companies while reducing the government’s financial burden associated with electricity subsidies.
However, the council acknowledged the need to balance the financial requirements of electricity operators with the ability of ordinary Nigerians to afford power.
It said the administration would continue exploring measures to improve the commercial viability of the sector while protecting low-income households.
Transmission Projects Underway
The council further highlighted the continuation of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI), originally initiated under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
It said Tinubu reviewed the existing agreement with German partners and signed an Acceleration Agreement in December 2023 to fast-track electricity transmission projects.
In December 2024, the Federal Executive Council approved the first batch of projects involving the upgrade of five Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) substations in major electricity load centres.
The campaign council said the projects were progressing and would be commissioned before the end of Tinubu’s first term.
It also disclosed that the Federal Executive Council approved another batch of electricity infrastructure projects in June 2026.
The second phase reportedly involves the construction of eight new substations and the upgrading of four existing facilities.
The council argued that electricity infrastructure projects require specialised equipment and long procurement periods, making immediate results difficult to achieve.
APC Promises Full Electricity Scorecard Ahead of 2027
The campaign council maintained that resolving Nigeria’s electricity challenges remained an ongoing process rather than a completed assignment.
It cited recent investment announcements by Geregu Power Plc, including plans to acquire new power transformers to improve operations at its Geregu 1 Power Plant, as evidence that confidence was gradually returning to the sector.
The council said other electricity companies were also making investments following the Federal Government’s interventions.
It insisted that Tinubu remained committed to fulfilling his 2023 campaign promises and would present his administration’s electricity sector scorecard to Nigerians ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
According to Alake, the President would explain the progress recorded, the challenges encountered and the outstanding work required to stabilise the country’s electricity supply.
However, the administration’s claims are expected to face scrutiny from electricity consumers and industry stakeholders, particularly over persistent power outages, estimated billing, tariff increases and the gap between installed generation capacity and electricity actually delivered to households and businesses.
Ultimately, Nigerians will judge the administration not only by the legislation, financial commitments and infrastructure projects announced, but also by measurable improvements in the reliability, affordability and accessibility of electricity.
