The Federal Government has proposed a budget of N8 billion for 2025, aimed at educating Nigerians on the importance of timely payment of electricity bills [/b]across the nation.
This proposal was presented by the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, during a session before the National Assembly joint committee on power, where he explained the purpose and details of the program.
Adelabu, while defending the proposed budget, outlined that the funds would be allocated to a widespread advocacy campaign, designed to reach Nigerians through a variety of communication channels, including social media, digital platforms, and print media. This approach, he noted, was crucial to ensure the message reached all segments of the population.
According to him, given the size of Nigeria’s population, there is an urgent need for extensive orientation to make citizens understand that the power sector is a vital national asset that requires protection and collective ownership. He emphasized that public awareness would foster better understanding among citizens about the necessity of regular electricity bill payments, ensuring that they recognize the importance of supporting the sector for its continued growth and success.
He further explained, “We are a people of over 200 million strength. So we need to go through all the loopholes, through social media, through digital media, through the print media, to actually orientate and do this advocacy. So we have N8 billion.”
Adelabu stated that re-orientating and re-educating the public was essential, particularly in helping Nigerians understand that the power assets, such as electricity infrastructure and resources, belong to the nation and must be treated with the care and responsibility they deserve. His belief is that regular bill payments will contribute significantly to the growth and stability of the sector, which is why this advocacy initiative is necessary to reinforce these behaviors across the country.
He concluded by reiterating that the power sector needs substantial efforts to educate the public, saying, “Our people need to know that they must pay their bills regularly. All these need to be passed across. We believe that the power sector needs to do a lot of advocacy, re-orientation, and re-education of our people.”
