FG plans national call centre for electricity complaints reporting

Joseph Tegbe, minister of power, says the federal government is establishing a national call centre to receive and resolve electricity complaints across the country.

Tegbe spoke on Wednesday at the commissioning of a three-megawatt hybrid mini-grid project and a renewable energy workshop and training centre at the 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.

Tegbe said the initiative will provide sustainable job opportunities for young people nationwide.

He said the government also plans to establish a dedicated channel for reporting vandalism of critical electricity assets for immediate action and remediation.

“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.

Furthermore, the minister said the commissioning of the facilities places a responsibility on everyone to preserve them.

“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.

Tegbe said the project will benefit 58,726 students, while its 388 streetlights will enhance campus illumination and security.

He said electrifying the university will strengthen research, reduce reliance on diesel generators, and ease pressure on institutional budgets.

“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.

“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.

“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.”

In his remarks, Abba Aliyu, managing director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), said the Renewable Asset Management Company (RAMCO) was established to address the challenge of protecting and preserving the value of renewable energy infrastructure.

“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 said RAMCO cannot survive alone, noting that “it requires the support of all stakeholders in shared stewardship”.

He said the ultimate value of “this project will depend not only on what we have installed, but on how well it is sustained”.