No Tarriff Hike — Power Minister, Tegbe

Oyo State has recorded a fresh push towards improved electricity supply as five interconnected mini-grid projects with a combined capacity of 17.7 megawatts have been flagged off across five local government areas.

The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, announced the projects during the groundbreaking ceremony, saying they would serve communities in Akinyele, Ido, Ibadan North, Egbeda and Lagelu.

The projects, located at Bola, Jiboye, Molade-Adelubi, Ogo Oluwa and Sooko-Elega, are supported by a 17.74-megawatt battery energy storage system designed to strengthen electricity supply.

When completed, the projects are expected to help households and businesses reduce their reliance on generators, extend working hours and create more opportunities for economic activities in the beneficiary communities.

Tegbe said the initiative was part of the Federal Government’s efforts to expand electricity access, with support from the Rural Electrification Agency, Paras Energy and Natural Resources Development Limited, the World Bank and Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company.

He acknowledged the cooperation of the Oyo State Government, traditional rulers, community leaders and residents of the beneficiary areas, saying their support was important to the success of the projects.

The minister also dismissed reports of a planned electricity tariff increase, insisting that the Federal Government had no plan to raise tariffs.

He urged Nigerians to disregard the reports, saying the government’s priority was to improve electricity supply and work towards round-the-clock power in designated energy zones.

Tegbe identified the proposed zones as the Lagos-Ogun corridor, the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano corridor and the Benin-Enugu-Port Harcourt corridor. He added that the government planned to strengthen the national grid across key generation and transmission locations to improve stability and reliability.

The minister flagged off the five projects on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, expressing hope that the investment would improve livelihoods and expand economic opportunities for residents of the beneficiary communities.