The Federal Government is working to establish a national call centre through which Nigerians can lodge and resolve complaints about electricity supply across the country, Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has said.
Tegbe disclosed this on Wednesday while commissioning a three-megawatt hybrid mini-grid project, alongside a renewable energy workshop and training centre at Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja.
“My office is working on a call centre where electricity complaints across the country can be lodged and resolved,” he said.
According to the minister, the initiative is also expected to create sustainable employment opportunities for young Nigerians.
He added that the government was developing a separate reporting channel to enable members of the public to alert authorities to cases of vandalism involving critical electricity infrastructure for prompt intervention.
“We are also working through a joint team of the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the EFCC to curb the vandalism of electricity assets across the country,” he added.
Tegbe urged the university community to take responsibility for protecting the newly commissioned facilities and other electricity infrastructure.
“I expect the student community to support our ongoing efforts to stem the tide of vandalism. I therefore charge all of you to report any such act whenever you see it, not just on this solar system, but on other power assets such as transformers and transmission towers,” he said.
The minister said the project would provide electricity to 58,726 students, while the installation of 388 streetlights would improve lighting and security across the campus.
He explained that the university’s access to reliable electricity would support research activities, reduce dependence on diesel-powered generators and lower the financial burden of running the institution.
“This connection between infrastructure and human capability is central to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Under his leadership, investment in electricity is being directed towards services and productive activities that improve people’s lives,” the minister said.
Tegbe described the continued implementation of the national electricity programme as evidence of the administration’s commitment to sustaining development projects beyond individual phases and ceremonies.
“This sustained investment is a testament to this administration’s constancy of purpose. Continuing a national programme through successive phases, bringing projects to completion, and preparing the next phase reflects the discipline that development requires.
READ ALSO: Nigeria Targets 6,500MW Electricity Supply By December — Power Minister
“For the young people who depend on these institutions, that continuity matters. It means that the commitment to their future remains active beyond any single project or ceremony.”
Also speaking, Abba Aliyu, Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency, said the establishment of the Renewable Asset Management Company was aimed at tackling the challenge of safeguarding renewable energy infrastructure and maintaining its value.
“It recognizes that building infrastructure and managing it are two distinct responsibilities, and that modern renewable energy involves decentralization. The Federal Government has created a platform to manage, monitor, maintain and optimize assets over time,” he said.
Aliyu stressed that RAMCO would require the cooperation of relevant stakeholders to fulfil its mandate.
“it requires the support of all stakeholders in shared stewardship”.
He added that the long-term success of the project would be determined not simply by the infrastructure installed but by the effectiveness of efforts to maintain it.
“this project will depend not only on what we have installed, but on how well it is sustained”.