Paul Ibe, media adviser to African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, has challenged Power Minister Joseph Tegbe’s claim that some Nigerians asked him to reduce electricity supply because their freezers were “freezing too much.”

Ibe questioned the minister’s account on Thursday, citing Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) data showing that only about 4,286 megawatts (MW) of Nigeria’s 13,625MW installed grid-connected generation capacity was available for dispatch in April 2026.

Tegbe made the controversial remark on Wednesday during the commissioning of a 3MW solar hybrid power project at Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja, formerly the University of Abuja.

The minister said electricity supply had improved in some parts of the country, including areas that had previously experienced power outages lasting up to three months.

He said some locations were now receiving as much as 18 hours of electricity daily, adding that he had received calls from consumers asking him to “slow down” because their freezers were freezing.

Ibe, however, disputed the picture of abundant electricity supply conveyed by the minister, pointing to NERC’s operational figures for April 2026.

The commission reported that the 28 grid-connected power plants covered by its data had an average available generation capacity of 4,286MW against an installed capacity of 13,625MW. This represented a plant availability factor of 31 per cent.

NERC also recorded an average load factor of 94 per cent during the month, indicating that most of the electricity generation capacity available for dispatch was being utilised.

Reacting to Tegbe’s statement, Ibe argued that the minister’s account did not correspond with the experiences of many Nigerians dealing with increasing household and business costs.

He contrasted the government’s claim of improved electricity supply with the continued dependence of households and businesses on generators, while also citing the burden of electricity bills and alternative energy costs.

Ibe further criticised the cost of diesel, saying the product had recently sold for more than N2,000 per litre in some parts of the country.

He argued that the government should concentrate on making electricity more dependable and affordable rather than relying on the freezer anecdote to demonstrate improvements in power supply.

According to Ibe, the central concern for Nigerians was not whether freezers were receiving enough electricity to operate, but the wider effect of inflation and energy costs on household incomes, businesses and employment.

He said rising operating expenses were putting pressure on small businesses, while families were reducing their spending as they struggled with the increasing cost of living.

Ibe also maintained that Nigeria’s electricity crisis could not be characterised simply by claims of increased supply in some locations.

He said the official figures indicated a substantial difference between the country’s installed generation capacity and the amount of electricity actually available for dispatch.

The ADC candidate’s media adviser called on the Federal Government to prioritise consistent and affordable electricity for Nigerians.

He urged the government to focus on addressing the underlying power and economic pressures confronting households and businesses rather than the minister’s comments about consumers’ freezers.