Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has acknowledged that many Nigerians are still without reliable electricity despite ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to address persistent challenges in the power sector.

Tegbe made the admission in a post on his X handle on Tuesday, saying he understood the frustration of Nigerians who were yet to experience the improvements being recorded in the sector since he assumed office three months ago.

The minister explained that much of the government’s initial efforts had focused on identifying and addressing longstanding problems affecting electricity generation, transmission and distribution.

According to him, one of the major achievements recorded during the period was the restoration of the 375-megawatt Alaoji power plant, which had remained offline for three years.

“We spent much of this period on diagnosis and repair; restoring the 375MW Alaoji plant after three years offline, unlocking transmission capacity in Lagos, Abuja and other places, mobilising funds toward a debt burden that has quietly undermined this sector for years,” he said.

Tegbe also disclosed that more than 350,000 electricity meters had been deployed following the resolution of what he described as a legal dispute involving the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors and manufacturers.

The minister, however, acknowledged that the measures taken by the government had not yet translated into reliable electricity supply for a large number of Nigerians.

“Admittedly, many Nigerians are still without reliable power, and I understand the frustration of hearing about progress you haven’t personally felt yet. I’m not going to pretend that away,” he said.

Tegbe said fixing Nigeria’s power sector would take time and require sustained reforms, adding that he would not make promises of quick solutions that could undermine the sustainability of the sector.

He also sought to allay concerns over electricity tariffs, stating that the government had no plan to increase tariffs.

“To be clear: there’s no plan to raise tariffs, and this is no political statement,” the minister said.
He reiterated his commitment to improving grid stability, electricity supply reliability and billing accuracy, while ensuring that complaints from electricity consumers are resolved more quickly.

Tegbe also commended officials working across the power sector despite the challenges confronting the industry, as well as Nigerians who continue to engage the government over persistent electricity problems.

“We’re not there yet, but we’re moving,” he said.

A gunman opened fire outside a high school in western Turkey on Tuesday, injuring five people, including students, according to local media reports.

The incident occurred at about 8am local time (0500 GMT) in the Turgutlu district of Manisa Province, private broadcaster NTV reported.

One of the victims was said to be in serious condition.

According to the reports, the unidentified attacker opened fire in the area for reasons that were not immediately known before fleeing the scene.

Police and medical teams were deployed to the area, while security was tightened around the school as authorities launched a search for the suspect.

The latest shooting comes amid heightened concern over gun violence around schools in Turkey following several recent incidents.

In April, a 14-year-old opened fire at a school in Kahramanmaras Province, killing nine students aged between 10 and 11 and a teacher.

The teenage attacker also died at the scene.

In another incident in the southeastern province of Sanliurfa, a former student opened fire at his former high school, injuring 16 people before dying by suicide after being confronted by police.

The incidents have triggered public outrage and renewed debate over gun control and security around schools.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has responded by dismissing a deputy education minister and announcing that the government would introduce additional measures, including restrictions on gun ownership.

Authorities had yet to disclose the identity or motive of Tuesday’s attacker as the search continued.

The Ondo Boys High School Alumni Association has appealed to its members in Nigeria and the diaspora to support the establishment of a proposed trust fund aimed at accelerating the development of the school.

The association said the Ondo Boys High School Trust Fund would provide a sustainable financial structure to support infrastructure, academic programmes, technology, student welfare and skills acquisition at the institution.

The new President-General of the association, Oladipupo Akinfaye, disclosed this on Monday in Ondo while outlining the priorities of the newly inaugurated executive.

Akinfaye explained that the proposed trust fund would create a structured platform through which alumni and other stakeholders could contribute financially to the long-term development of their alma mater.

He identified the establishment of the trust fund as one of the major priorities of his administration, stressing that sustainable funding was necessary to address some of the critical needs of the school.

“One of our major priorities is the establishment of an OBHS Trust Fund.

The fund will provide a sustainable financial structure for the long-term development of our alma mater, supporting infrastructure, academic programmes, technology, student development and other critical needs of the school,” he said.

According to him, the initiative is expected to strengthen the role of the alumni association in supporting the school while providing an organised mechanism for members and other stakeholders to contribute to its development.

Akinfaye also pledged that the new executive would build on the achievements recorded by the immediate past administration led by Pastor Khalil Akinboboye.

He noted that Akinboboye’s six-year tenure, which lasted from 2020 to 2026, witnessed several interventions in the school.

“Our administration plans to build on the achievements of the immediate past executive, led by Pastor Khalil Akinboboye, whose six-year tenure from 2020 to 2026 recorded several interventions in the school,” he said.

The new president-general called on members of the association, particularly those living outside Nigeria, to support the initiative and contribute towards improving the learning environment.

He said the proposed trust fund would enable alumni to make coordinated contributions towards projects and programmes that could have a lasting impact on students and the school.

“The proposed trust fund would provide a structured platform through which all alumni and other stakeholders could contribute to the long-term development of our alma mater.

So we appeal to all our members to give their support to improve the school’s infrastructural facilities,” Akinfaye added.

The association’s appeal comes as alumni bodies across the country continue to play a role in supporting educational institutions through infrastructure projects, academic initiatives, welfare programmes and other interventions.

For the Ondo Boys High School Alumni Association, the proposed trust fund is expected to provide a more sustainable approach to mobilising resources for the school and ensuring that contributions from members are channelled towards identified development priorities.