Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, on Wednesday said some electricity consumers had asked him to “slow down” with improvements in power supply because their freezers were now working continuously.

Tegbe made the remark in Abuja while speaking at the commissioning of the 3-megawatt solar hybrid power project at Yakubu Gowon University, formerly the University of Abuja.

According to the minister, areas that previously experienced prolonged power outages were now recording up to 18 hours of electricity supply.

“Places that didn’t have light at all for three months are now having 18 hours light. Some areas called me to say, look, I should slow down, that everything in their freezer is freezing. That is what freezer is meant to do. Let it freeze the food that needs to be frozen,” he said.

Tegbe said he had promised during his Senate screening that Nigerians would begin to notice improvements in electricity supply within three to six months.

He, however, acknowledged the age and condition of the country’s power infrastructure, noting that some facilities were more than 40 years old.

“Some of the infrastructure we have in the electricity and power sector are more than 40 years old. We’re systematically replacing them, phasing them out and bringing new ones,” the minister said.

He also expressed concern over the vandalism of critical electricity infrastructure, revealing that three major transmission towers in Birnin Kebbi had recently been brought down by vandals.

According to Tegbe, the towers were part of infrastructure supplying electricity to Kebbi State and extending to Niger Republic. He said the vandals attacked the foundations before bringing down the towers and cutting parts of them for sale as scrap.

The minister disclosed that the Federal Government had established a joint working committee involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to monitor and protect national electricity assets.

“You will not believe how many towers get pulled down by vandals,” he said.

On the Yakubu Gowon University project, Tegbe said the facility comprises a 3.3-megawatt solar array, 3MW AC output capacity and battery storage, designed to provide electricity to critical university facilities.

He said more than 58,726 students were expected to benefit from the project, which includes 6,078 photovoltaic panels and 388 streetlights. The project, he added, created 3,201 jobs during implementation.

Tegbe said the battery storage system could be expanded to power additional sections of the university, including student hostels, while the Rural Electrification Agency would collaborate with the institution to improve lighting in areas still requiring attention.

He urged the university to use the facility as a platform for research into renewable energy, battery storage, smart metering, energy management, grid integration, cybersecurity and other emerging areas of energy technology.

The Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, described the project as a significant milestone under the Energizing Education Programme.

Aliyu said its value should not be measured solely by the megawatts generated but also by its impact on students, academic activities, research and the overall learning environment.

Head of the Nigeria Electrification Project, Olufemi Akinyelure, said reliable electricity created broader development opportunities, particularly within educational institutions.

Also speaking, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, commended the Federal Government and the minister for implementing the programme, stressing that reliable electricity was fundamental to the development of Nigeria’s education system.

The Vice-Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University, Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi, said dependable electricity was essential to teaching, research, laboratory operations and digital services, while urging continued collaboration between the university and government agencies to ensure the sustainability of the project.