More than halfway into President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the government’s handling of Nigeria’s electricity sector, accusing the presidency of failing to honour its campaign commitments on uninterrupted power and the elimination of estimated billing.
In a statement released on Sunday, ADC’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, challenged the President to explain why millions of Nigerians still lack reliable electricity supply despite bold assurances made ahead of the 2023 general elections.
“Good morning, Nigerians. Today, we just want to take some time to remind President Tinubu that he promised Nigerians uninterrupted electricity within four years. Yes, that’s right, Mr President promised us 24/7 power. All by himself,” Abdullahi stated.
He referenced a viral campaign video in which President Tinubu declared: “A promise made will be a promise kept. If I don’t keep my promise and I come back for a second time, don’t vote for me.”
Electricity tariffs in Nigeria have witnessed a sharp increase since President Tinubu assumed office in May 2023. In April 2024, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) approved a steep hike for Band A customers, raising tariffs from ₦66 to ₦225 per kilowatt-hour — a jump of over 240 per cent. Despite this, power supply remains highly unstable across the country.
Data from the National Control Centre (NCC), Osogbo, and reports tracked by the Nigerian System Operator show that the national grid has experienced 12 collapses between May 2023 and June 2025, disrupting supply across multiple regions. Nigeria’s average operational generation capacity continues to hover between 4,000 and 4,500 megawatts far below the estimated national demand of 30,000 megawatts leaving millions dependent on costly generators and alternative solar sources.
“We are past the halfway mark of this administration, and millions of Nigerians are still charging their phones at mobile charging kiosks and spending hundreds of thousands to fuel their generators,” Abdullahi said.
The ADC also cited figures from the World Bank estimating that over 90 million Nigerians still live without access to electricity, making Nigeria the country with the largest energy access deficit globally. The Bank further noted that energy poverty contributes to the country losing up to $26.2 billion annually in economic productivity.
“In rural communities, most of Nigeria’s 50 million families remain completely off the grid, with no access to electricity at all,” Abdullahi added.
Residents in urban areas fare only marginally better under the current electricity distribution structure. The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) classifies consumers into five service bands, from A to E, based on the average number of daily supply hours they are entitled to: Band A customers are expected to receive a minimum of 20 hours per day, Band B 16 hours, Band C 12 hours, Band D 8 hours, and Band E just 4 hours.
However, multiple reports, including findings by Daily Trust, The Guardian, and Platforms Africa, suggest that many Band D and E customers rarely receive the electricity they are promised. In several neighbourhoods across Lagos, Abuja, and Kaduna, residents report receiving only four to six hours of electricity daily, with frequent outages lasting several days.
“We are supposed to be under Band D, but we hardly get more than five hours of light on most days,” said Musa Usman, a resident of Kurudu in Abuja. “Sometimes, we go two days without anything, and yet our bills remain high.”
Despite the service band system being designed to reflect supply reliability, many customers argue that the classification does not match reality. According to the 2024 Nigeria Residential Energy Survey conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the national average supply to households is 6.6 hours per day far below regulatory benchmarks.
The ADC further criticised the federal government for what it described as a lack of urgency and direction in tackling the chronic instability of the power sector. Despite the repeated failures of the national grid, the Tinubu administration has yet to introduce any major public-facing electricity reform policy or communicate a clear roadmap for long-term recovery.
The statement concluded with a pointed reminder of the President’s own words on political accountability.
“Mr President, you once said: ‘If I don’t give you electricity, don’t vote for me.’ Well, Nigerians are listening. And come 2027, we intend to grant your wish,” the party stated.
