{
  "id": 2457273,
  "title": "FG targets 80% electricity access within five years",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/22/fg-targets-80-electricity-access-within-five-years",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-22T00:26:14.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch Nigeria",
    "slug": "punch-nigeria",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/fg-targets-80-electricity-access-within-five-years/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Federal Government aims to increase electricity access to over 80% of the population within five years, alongside reducing the gap in installed and available power generation within three years, as part of efforts to tackle Nigeria's energy crisis that is impacting its manufacturing sector. This pledge was made by Power Minister Joseph Tegbe at a presentation on 'Industrialisation and Regional Competitiveness: The Role of Power' at the Nigeria Economic Summit Group event in Lagos. Tegbe also committed to aligning with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission's goal of cutting Aggregate Technical, Commercial, and Collection losses to below 16.92% within three years.\n\nTo bolster key transmission corridors, such as Lagos, Enugu-Port Harcourt, and Abuja-Kaduna-Kano, the government intends to strengthen these routes, expanding electricity access and enhancing the reliability supplied to businesses and households. Tegbe stated that the reforms align with President Bola Tinubu's ambition to turn Nigeria into a $1tn economy, emphasizing that electricity is crucial to achieving this target. The administration has initiated the strengthening of transmission infrastructure across three corridors, rolled out seven million meters, and commenced the training of 5,000 individuals. Additionally, the government plans to establish an independent electricity market, improve liquidity and sustainability, and reduce recurring debts and losses.\n\nThe power minister noted that Nigeria's installed grid capacity stands at 13,625 megawatts, but only 4,854MW is available daily on average. Approximately 62% of installed capacity remains idle, while realistic peak demand reaches around 20,000MW. The inadequate electricity supply has compelled businesses to depend heavily on self-generation, imposing significant costs on manufacturers. The power minister highlighted that from 2023 to 2024, Nigerians spent N16.5tn on self-generation, compared to N1tn in grid revenue. The World Bank estimates that unreliable electricity incurs an annual economic loss of $25bn, equivalent to 5-7% of the country's GDP.",
  "summary": "The Federal Government aims to achieve over 80% electricity access within five years, addressing Nigeria’s energy crisis and boosting industrial competitiv Read More: https://punchng.com/fg-targets-80-electricity-access-within-five-years/",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Punch",
        "title": "FG targets 80% electricity access within five years",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/fg-targets-80-electricity-access-within-five-years",
        "published": "2026-08-21T23:58:25.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}