The Federal Government is preparing to establish a national call centre where Nigerians can lodge electricity complaints and have them followed up for resolution, Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe has said.
Tegbe disclosed the plan on Wednesday while commissioning a three megawatt hybrid mini grid project, alongside a renewable energy workshop and training centre at Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja.
The proposed facility is expected to create a central channel for electricity consumers across the country to report problems with power supply and seek redress. Brandspur Business News Desk reports that the minister also announced plans for a separate reporting channel dedicated to vandalism of critical electricity infrastructure.
According to Tegbe, the government is working with the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to tackle the destruction of electricity assets.
He urged students and other members of the university community to report acts of vandalism involving power infrastructure, including transformers and transmission towers, stressing that protecting installed facilities is essential to sustaining electricity projects.
The newly commissioned hybrid mini grid is expected to provide electricity to 58,726 students, while 388 streetlights installed as part of the project are expected to improve lighting and security across the campus.
Tegbe said reliable electricity at the university would support research activities and reduce the institution’s dependence on diesel generators, potentially easing the pressure of energy costs on its budget.
The minister also linked the project to the Federal Government’s broader investment in electricity infrastructure, saying continued development of power facilities was important to improving services and productive activities.
Abba Aliyu, managing director of the Rural Electrification Agency, said the government had established the Renewable Asset Management Company to address the long term management and protection of renewable energy infrastructure.
Aliyu said building renewable energy infrastructure and managing it effectively were separate responsibilities, particularly as modern power systems increasingly involve decentralised assets.
He added that the success of such projects would depend not only on the infrastructure installed but also on how effectively it is maintained and protected over time.
The call centre plan comes alongside the government’s efforts to create more structured channels for consumers to report electricity problems and for authorities to respond to complaints, while the proposed vandalism reporting mechanism is intended to support quicker intervention when critical power assets are threatened.
