Oyo State Commissioner for Establishments and Training, Salihu Adelabu. | Credit: Ademola Adegbite. Nigeria’s electricity sector is once again under intense scrutiny as the masses question the Federal Government’s ability to deliver on its promise of a stable power supply to all Nigerians within a single four-year term, especially as the presidency dumped the national grid for a N10bn solar grid, reports DARE OLAWIN President Bola Tinubu did not mince words when he campaigned for office in 2023.
He promised nothing short of a power revolution. Nigeria, he said, would generate and distribute 15 gigawatts of electricity within four years, delivering a 24/7 stable supply to homes, businesses and industries. He was emphatic that Nigerians must have electricity “by all means necessary”.
He vowed to honour his promises and went as far as declaring publicly: “If I don’t keep the promise and I come back for a second term, don’t vote for me.” Nearly three years into that pledge, the national grid continues to hover around 3,000 to 4,000 MW. And in a development that has sparked outrage and intense debate, the same administration that pledged to rescue the grid is now moving to detach the Presidential Villa from it.
Provisions in the 2025 budget earmark N10bn for solar power installation at Aso Rock. In the 2026 budget, another N7b allocation is proposed for upgrades and maintenance. Reports that the Presidential Villa plans to be disconnected from the national grid to rely entirely on solar have deepened concerns that President Tinubu, who promised to raise generation to 15 GW and stabilise supply nationwide, has effectively abandoned the grid his government pledged to fix.
For millions of Nigerians who depend solely on the fragile national grid, the symbolism is unmistakable. While ordinary citizens remain tied to a system plagued by collapses, low generation and unreliable distribution, the political elite appear to be insulating themselves from its failures.
Aside from Aso Rock Villa, the Nigeria Revenue Service has also secured the nod of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission for a 6-megawatt captive power generation, meaning that the revenue collector can no longer rely on the epileptic power grid. Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, delivered one of the strongest reactions.
He recalled that 32 months after being in charge, and instead of living by his powerful words, Tinubu planned to dump the national grid “that has been performing abysmally under his watch”. According to Obi, Tinubu’s powerful words inspired hope among Nigerians who longed for light in their homes, stability for their businesses, and growth for their nation.
“Yet, while Nigerians are still grappling with that unfulfilled, categorical electoral promise – and without clear communication on the obstacles, if any, we read of a provision in the 2025 budget about the N10bn for solar power at Aso Rock and, in the 2026 budget, another humongous amount for upgrade and maintenance, and now we are being sarcastically told that the Presidential Villa has planned to be disconnected from the national grid to rely entirely on solar.
“It is a gross neglect and deeply worrisome when the seat of power abandons the national grid. One would expect government institutions to lead efforts to strengthen and expand the grid so that other establishments and, ultimately, citizens can benefit. If those in authority disconnect themselves from the system, who then will connect the ordinary Nigerian to reliable power?” Obi queried.
He argued that promoting renewable energy, as solar systems do, is commendable and necessary for the future; however, the Aso Villa’s decision to dump the grid reflected a deeper concern:” governance lacking compassion and commitment to the governed. “You cannot tell the people to fast while feasting yourself, securing yourself while Nigerians remain unsecured.” Obi concluded that Nigerians do not expect 100 per cent fulfilment of promises, but they do expect 100 per cent effort, accompanied by measurable improvements and clear explanations when gaps exist.