By Annette Ikponmwonba | September 2, 2026
KEYPOINTS
- Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe says electricity grids should receive the same strategic attention traditionally given to fuel supplies.
- He argues that energy security now depends on the resilience of the entire energy system, not just access to oil and gas.
- Tegbe highlighted grid infrastructure, critical minerals, capital and strong institutions as essential components of energy security.
- He said Nigeria’s power sector reforms are designed to create greater certainty for investors.
- The minister described affordability as a security issue and called for an orderly and fair global energy transition.
- He identified Africa’s mineral resources, solar potential, youthful population and rising energy demand as important factors in global energy security.
- Tegbe invited international investors and partners to support the development of Africa’s energy infrastructure.
MAIN STORY
Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has called for greater strategic attention to electricity grids, arguing that reliable power infrastructure is now as important to global energy security as traditional fuel supplies, Tegbe made the remarks on Tuesday while delivering a keynote address at the opening plenary of the Middle East Energy 2026 Leadership Summit in Dubai.
Speaking on the theme, “Energy Security and the Effect of Geopolitics,” the minister said the global energy landscape was changing rapidly and that countries could no longer measure energy security simply by the amount of oil and gas available to them, He said energy security should instead encompass the resilience of the entire energy system, including electricity grids, critical mineral supply chains, access to capital and the strength of institutions.
According to Tegbe, the ability to maintain electricity supplies to homes, hospitals and industries during geopolitical or economic disruptions should be treated as a strategic national priority, He also outlined Nigeria’s ongoing power sector reforms, saying regulatory certainty, respect for contracts and reliable offtake arrangements were necessary to attract the investment required to transform the sector.
THE ISSUES
A central issue raised by the minister is the vulnerability of electricity infrastructure during periods of geopolitical and economic instability, Tegbe argued that countries need to diversify their energy systems rather than rely too heavily on individual sources or supply routes, He also identified affordability as a security concern, noting that energy systems must not only be reliable but also capable of providing electricity at prices that households and businesses can sustain.
Nigeria’s power sector reforms were presented as an effort to create greater certainty for investors. Tegbe pointed to the Electricity Act 2023 as a major change that ended the Federal Government’s longstanding monopoly over the electricity market and created opportunities for electricity markets across the federation.
Another issue is Africa’s position in the global energy transition. Tegbe noted that hundreds of millions of Africans still lack access to electricity, while the continent possesses significant mineral resources and renewable energy potential, He argued that Africa should move beyond simply exporting raw materials and instead develop local processing, manufacturing, skills and infrastructure.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
Tegbe said diversification should be viewed as a form of strategic protection and that electricity grids now deserve the same level of attention historically given to fuel supplies, He also stressed the importance of investment certainty, arguing that investors are capable of pricing risk but struggle to invest when regulations and contractual conditions are unpredictable.
The minister highlighted Nigeria’s more than 200 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves and its long record of supplying liquefied natural gas to markets in Europe and Asia, He positioned Nigeria as an important participant in discussions about global energy security and said the country’s power sector reforms could offer lessons for other developing economies.
On Africa, Tegbe said the continent was central to future energy geopolitics because of its mineral wealth, solar resources, young population and rapidly growing demand for electricity, He called for international partnerships that include local processing, manufacturing, skills transfer and long-term investment rather than partnerships focused solely on extracting raw resources.
WHAT’S NEXT
Tegbe is expected to continue engagements with energy leaders and investors in Dubai throughout the week, He is scheduled to participate in a ministerial fireside session focused on financing Africa’s power future under the summit’s Africa Spotlight programme, For Nigeria, the key test will be whether ongoing electricity reforms can translate into more reliable power, greater private investment and improved affordability for consumers, The government will also need to demonstrate that regulatory reforms and new electricity markets can attract the capital required to strengthen the country’s power infrastructure.
BOTTOM LINE
Nigeria is seeking to reposition electricity reliability as a central part of national and global energy security, Tegbe’s message is that energy security is no longer simply about having enough fuel. It is also about having resilient grids, affordable electricity, dependable institutions and investment capable of keeping power flowing during times of crisis, For Nigeria and the wider African continent, the challenge is now turning abundant energy resources and reform efforts into reliable infrastructure and wider access to electricity.
