Following his recent statement suggesting that Nigerians keep freezers running for days due to low electricity tariffs, Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has issued an apology.
Adelabu expressed regret for any offence caused during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, acknowledging the criticism his comments received.
“Anything we have said that are considered offensive, we are sorry about that,” Adelabu said.
Adelabu’s original remarks, made on April 4, 2024, in Abuja, drew widespread condemnation.
He had attributed what he perceived as a lack of energy consumption management culture among Nigerians to the affordability of electricity.
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The statement came amidst a tariff increase announcement for Band A consumers, prompting calls for Adelabu’s removal from office.
In his apology, Adelabu clarified that his intention was to offer advice on energy consumption management, aimed particularly at those expected to benefit from increased power supply hours due to the tariff adjustment.
“It was an innocent advice with regards to energy consumption management which we believe will go a long way in reducing people’s energy bills.
“And that advice was directed at those that we believe that because of the recent increase in tariff will start enjoying 20 hours of power per day,” he said.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) had announced the tariff hike on April 3, 2024, affecting customers categorized under Band A, who enjoy 20 hours of electricity daily.
The tariff adjustment, raising the cost per kilowatt-hour from N66 to N225, has been met with widespread criticism from the public.