Callous Incompetence on Nigeria‘s Power Supply

Chido Nwangwu wonders if President Bola Tinubu has the capacity to address the myriad of age-long problems associated with Nigeria’s power sector.

On July 18, 2025, members of the Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC), led by Col. Sani Bello (rtd), were received at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Nigeria.

Without minimizing words, in pointing to the key problems facing the Nigerian energy industry, President Bola Tinubu highlighted some of the “very critical problems” in the country’s energy sector with accessible options. The President assured them of his administration’s commitment to resolving the liquidity challenges in the power sector. He recommended that the operations be located very close to the financial industry of the country.

The President assured them of his “commitment” to tackling the liquidity challenges in the power sector. It is equally important to underscore the point that Tinubu signed the Electricity Act 2023, which aims to liberalize the electricity market and empower States to manage their own sectors.

These developments and policy reviews came, in part, against the background of the mid-March 2022 nationwide collapse of Nigeria’s Electricity grid at All the e-DISCOs (Electric Distribution Companies). Those also revealed for the 100th time, the

shame and criminal connivance and incompetence of some of the inglorious leaders of Nigeria, and its elite.

The usual phrases, “There’s no light” or “They’ve taken  light”, have since become pronouncements of instinct and a sense of resignation in the darkness for many Nigerians. Millions say that access to a steady, reliable supply of electricity and alternative, clean energy will be a critical test of the purpose and direction of the Tinubu presidency. It might be the legacy issue to remember, applaud or condemn the ageless Jagaban!

He’s not making a parade of what he is putting in place for power supply and energy — if anything significant. As an experienced power player, it’s good to be cautious.

Especially where soldiers and civilians have failed and still walked away with lots of money. After all, trillions of Naira, Euros and Dollars have been budgeted, spent, and shared within the familiar networks and rings of criminal subterfuge in and outside Nigeria.

I believe that the controversial Tinubu understands the implications of another merry-go-round into 2026…                                 Tinubu promised Nigerians that he would solve the energy problems. Sadly, a lot of Nigeria’s resources are being squandered in serial financial shenanigans; squandered without mercy, without decorum. Squandered, without the fear of God!

Consequently, when you assess the level of disregard that the Nigerian elite, military and civilian rulers have kept and held Nigerians, since 1960, the year of its political independence, you feel the weight of the corruption, crooked and callous incompetence of these people.  Nigeria’s first Integrated National Electricity Policy in 24 years was launched to improve planning and implementation.

But the quest to the building and sustenance of power supply: electricity, natural gas, solar energy and other creative process of generating reliable and scalable power continue to expose 65 years of monumental incompetence, sheer wickedness and brutal disregard for the well-being of those who wake and toil for Nigeria and their families, every day!

At the end of the day, the average Nigerian and the rich Nigerian live through the sweaty blanket of darkness. They all swear against the original, defunct godfather of impunity and corruption, called NEPA (Never Expect Power Always)!

The same symptoms.

The same congenital incompetences.

The same afflictions are already in the DISCO nomenclature.

Nigerians are still left in surrealistic darkness, in collective and individual capacities. Generators are pollutants! They have since become disconcerting, daily reminders of the Nigerian leaders’ contemptible lack of seriousness. They are cruel, discordant reminders of a society furiously chasing development, backwardly!

-Dr Nwangwu, author of the forthcoming book, MLK, Mandela & Achebe: Power, Leadership and Identity, is the Founder of the first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper on the internet, USAfricaonline.com, and established USAfrica in 1992 in Houston.

Follow him on X @Chido247