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The APC and ADC campaign councils have traded arguments over President Bola Tinubu’s electricity promise, with the APC saying power-sector reforms are still in progress rather than finished. The ADC says the measures cited by the government, including new laws, bond plans and project announcements, have yet to deliver reliable electricity, while raising concerns over tariffs, the band system and plans to end electricity subsidies from 2027.
The APC Presidential Campaign Council and the ADC Presidential Campaign Council have sharply disagreed over the state of Nigeria’s power sector, as debate grows around electricity supply, tariffs and subsidy policy.
The APC campaign council said President Bola Tinubu’s power-sector reforms should be seen as ongoing work, not a completed assignment. In defending the administration’s record, it pointed to the Electricity Act 2023, moves toward state-level electricity regulation, metering efforts and a bond programme aimed at settling legacy debts owed to generation companies and gas suppliers.
According to the APC position, these steps form part of a broader restructuring effort intended to tackle long-standing weaknesses in the sector. Its argument is that the administration is building the legal, regulatory and financial foundations needed to improve electricity delivery over time.
The ADC campaign council rejected that defence, saying policy measures and financing plans are not enough if they do not produce stable electricity for ordinary users. It argued that laws, bonds and project announcements have not yet translated into reliable power for households and businesses.
The opposition campaign also questioned the practical effect of current electricity tariffs and the band system used in billing and supply classification. In addition, it raised concerns about the federal government’s plan to end electricity subsidies from 2027, a policy issue that could become more politically sensitive as consumers continue to weigh cost against service quality.
At the centre of the exchange is a familiar public concern: whether reforms on paper are being felt in daily life. The APC is presenting the current phase as one of institutional repair and gradual implementation. The ADC, by contrast, is pressing the argument that Nigerians should judge the sector by outcomes such as supply reliability and affordability, not by legislative or administrative milestones alone.
The clash underscores how electricity remains one of the most politically charged issues in Nigeria. Power supply affects homes, small businesses and larger industries, and public frustration tends to rise when reforms are announced without visible change in service.
With subsidy and tariff questions now part of the argument, the political debate is no longer only about generation and regulation. It is also about who bears the cost of reform, how quickly improvements can be felt, and whether government policy is matching citizens’ expectations on one of the country’s most important basic services.
Why it matters
Electricity is a core public-service issue that shapes business activity, household welfare and confidence in government policy. This exchange matters because it brings together two central questions at once: whether current reforms are improving supply, and whether consumers may face higher pressure from tariffs and the planned end of subsidies from 2027.
What it means for your money
For many Nigerians, the direct issue is the cost and quality of electricity service. The ADC’s criticism focused on tariffs, the band system and the planned end of subsidies from 2027, while the APC argued reforms such as metering and debt resolution are part of improving the sector; no further personal-finance impact was confirmed in the brief.
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Attention will likely stay on whether the federal government’s power-sector measures produce clearer improvements in electricity reliability for homes and businesses. The debate over tariffs, the band system and the planned 2027 subsidy end also merits close monitoring, as these issues are likely to remain central in public and political discussion.
The key issue in this dispute is the gap between reform measures announced by government and the electricity experience of consumers. While the APC says the work is still underway, the ADC is challenging whether Nigerians are seeing enough practical results, especially as tariff and subsidy concerns deepen.
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