Nigerians No Longer Rely Solely On Generators, Easing Petrol Price Concerns, Says Power Minister, Adebayo Adelabu

By: Abdulwasiu Akintunde 

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has attributed the reduced public outcry over the rising cost of petrol to decreased reliance on generators for electricity. 

Speaking at the 2024 Nigeria Energy Exhibition and Conference in Lagos, Adelabu emphasized that improved power access has lessened the need for Nigerians to fuel their generators.  

OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News gathered that the event, themed “Breaking Barriers in the New Energy Era: Clean, Reliable, and Sustainable,” comes amid recent hikes in petrol prices, which soared to between N998 and N1,030 per litre following the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s (NNPCL) decision to end its sole off-taker arrangement with Dangote Refinery. 

The price surge has impacted transportation and the cost of essential goods.  

However, despite these increases, Adelabu noted that the complaints have been muted. 

He said, “If people still had to buy petrol at N1,000 per litre just to power their homes, the public outcry would have been far greater."

“We are committed to eliminating generators. I believe the replacement policy is a step in the right direction,” Adelabu stated.  

He also highlighted plans to phase out generators in line with Lagos State’s policy to replace one million units within a year. 

Also reflecting on the challenges of Nigeria’s energy sector, the Minister expressed frustration with the slow growth in power generation. 

“It took nearly 40 years to double our capacity from 2,000MW in 1984. While we now average 5,000MW with a peak of 5,527MW recorded on September 3, this is not where we need to be,” he said, urging immediate action to address the energy gap.