With electricity consumers getting set for another round of tariff increment, sustainable energy expert, Monica Maduekwe has cautioned the Federal Government as well as Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu that such an exercise at this stage could be counter-productive unless it is accompanied by bold, systemic reforms that would reflect solidarity with the people, matched with a genuine determination to break free from the cycles that have held the sector down over the years.
Speaking at a media interaction, Maduekwe, founder of PUTTRU, Africa’s frontline energy investment-facilitating platform said if tariff increment was the solution to Nigeria’s electricity crisis, it would have abated with the successive price hikes that have happened in the past, stressing that the electricity market was unique, being the backbone of the economy with spiraling effect on other sectors of national life.
“Electricity market involves supply, demand and pricing like others, but electricity underpins the entire economy. When power costs are too high, the effects ripple across production, manufacturing, service delivery and daily life. Local goods become uncompetitive, businesses shut down and economic growth slows. A government, serious about development must regard a functional electricity market as non-negotiable.
“The fact that Nigeria has failed to build such a market decades after independence raises critical questions. Is it a lack of political will or a lack of institutional capacity?
“Let’s assume the will exists. That makes the capacity gap even more troubling. The technologies to achieve universal electricity access are available. The global body of knowledge on market design, regulation and grid modernization is vast. The issue is not knowledge, but implementation.
“One likely explanation is interference from entrenched interests whose agendas are misaligned with the goal of reliable electricity for all Nigerians. These may be individuals or groups—both public and private—who benefit from the current dysfunction. Upstream, we see this when substandard equipment is procured to maximize profit margins, contracts are awarded on anything but merit, or power projects are approved without rigorous supervision, leading to recurring breakdowns and reinvestment cycles.
“Downstream, the sabotage continues: electricity infrastructure is vandalized or repurposed for personal gain, meters are bypassed, and large users simply refuse to pay their bills, sometimes using intimidation.
“Proponents argue that higher prices will attract investment. But what if, instead, they push more consumers toward self-generation? Already, many households and businesses rely on solar systems, diesel generators, or standalone gas solutions. This trend could fragment the grid further, reduce economies of scale, and widen the gap between those who can afford reliable power and those who cannot”, she said.
The solution, according to her, lies in instilling a culture of excellence in the sector long-plagued by mediocrity. “Minister Adebayo Adelabu could go down in history as the son of the soil who instilled a culture of excellence by adopting a mindset that failure in the power sector is a personal failure for every staff member in relevant MDAs; tracking institutional capacity, by publishing clear indicators of delivery success and accountability; and establishing a leadership track, identifying and grooming young talents to rise into reform-driven leadership roles.”