ABUJA— In a statement that has triggered widespread public backlash and a wave of internet irony, the Minister of Power, Chief Joseph Tegbe, claimed that recent improvements in the national power grid are so overwhelming that some Nigerians are actively begging him to reduce the electricity supply.
Tripod Times reports that Minister Tegbe made the assertion on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, in Abuja. He was speaking at the official commissioning ceremony of a new 3-megawatt solar hybrid power project at Yakubu Gowon University (formerly the University of Abuja).
While intending to highlight the successes of ongoing federal energy interventions, the Minister’s choice of words quickly drew sharp criticism from citizens grappling with steep tariff hikes and persistent inflation.
🧊 “Abeg, Slow Down”
Detailing the feedback he claims to have received from various parts of the country, Tegbe noted that communities previously left in total darkness for months are now enjoying up to 18 hours of stable electricity every day.
“Places that didn’t have light at all for three months are now having 18 hours of light,” Minister Tegbe told the gathering. “Some areas called me to say, ‘Look, you should slow down, everything in our freezer is freezing’.”
The Minister lightheartedly framed the anecdote as proof that the Federal Government’s targeted infrastructure upgrades and stabilization policies are hitting their marks across the country.
Public Backlash and Structural Gaps
Despite the Minister’s optimistic tone, his “freezer” analogy did not sit well with the public, immediately drawing fierce criticism on social media and local talk radio.
Many consumers pointed out the stark irony of celebrating “excess power” at a time when the vast majority of households are struggling to keep up with skyrocketing prepaid electricity tariffs.
Critics argued that even where power supply has genuinely improved, the financial burden of keeping appliances running continuously is emptying the pockets of everyday Nigerians.
Furthermore, millions of citizens residing outside major urban centers and high-priority zones noted that they have yet to experience the “overwhelming” power the Minister described, with many still dealing with faulty transformers, estimated billing, and local distribution bottlenecks.
The Realities of the Grid
Behind the viral comment, the Minister did acknowledge that severe underlying challenges remain within the national electricity architecture.
Tegbe revealed that Nigeria still faces a 44 percent metering gap, confirming that closing this divide remains a high priority for his administration to eliminate arbitrary billing. He promised that the Ministry of Power will continue to enforce strict performance indicators on underperforming Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) and prioritize gas supply stability to prevent future grid disturbances.
While the new solar facility at Yakubu Gowon University is set to provide cleaner, dependable electricity to over 58,000 students, labor analysts and civic groups insist that a working freezer should be treated as a basic standard of modern life rather than a luxury that Nigerians need to “beg” the government to slow down.
