Tinubu says electricity is a democratic dividend, but Nigerians are still in darkness

President Bola Tinubu used his Democracy Day address today to talk about power sector reforms, saying access to reliable electricity is a democratic dividend every Nigerian deserves. He acknowledged the sector is a mess — chronic generation shortfalls, fragile transmission infrastructure, metering deficit over 4 million customers, legacy debts everywhere. He even said the sector generates less than the 13,500 MW installed capacity, transmits less than that, distributes even less, and collects revenue far below what it needs.

I get that reforms take time, but how many more Democracy Days will we listen to promises while we keep buying fuel for generators at almost 1,000 naira per litre? He mentioned signing the Electricity Act to give states more power, and a N4 trillion bond to clear legacy debts. That sounds good on paper, but the reality on ground is still darkness for millions. He also talked about the Rural Electrification Agency working with World Bank and AfDB on off-grid projects — but will that reach my village in Kaduna anytime soon?

I am not saying the man is not trying, but the gap between what he says and what we feel is wide. He said we are moving from uncertainty to stability. Abi na which stability? The grid still collapses, we still buy fuel at crazy prices, and many families are choosing between food and light. When will the democratic dividend actually light up our homes?