The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has offered a reassuring message to Nigerians regarding the current electricity tariff regime.

While presenting his ministerial scorecard in Abuja on Friday, May 24, he described the present costs as a temporary hardship that will ultimately lead to permanent benefits.

Adelabu acknowledged that the current electricity tariff may seem expensive, but he expressed optimism that prices will decrease over time. Drawing an analogy with the telecoms industry, he noted that the initial costs of SIM cards and telephone sets were high but eventually became more affordable. Similarly, he believes that the prices of generation, transmission, and distribution will also decline, making electricity more accessible and affordable for Nigerians.

According to him, “The electricity tariff might look expensive at the moment. But I’m optimistic that these tariffs will go down.

We know how much we were buying SIM cards when telecoms first came. We know how much we were buying the telephone sets. But gradually, it scaled off.
Generation, transmission and distribution, these prices will also go down. So, it is a temporary hardship and it will lead to permanent gain.”

The Minister's assurance is a welcome development, as many Nigerians have expressed concerns about the high cost of electricity. His comparison with the telecoms industry offers a promising perspective, as it highlights the potential for prices to decrease as the sector develops and becomes more efficient. While the current tariffs may be a temporary hardship, Adelabu's words offer hope for a future where electricity is more affordable and accessible to all Nigerians.