Energy expert, Nick Agule, has claimed that electricity is cheaper in the United Kingdom than in Nigeria, despite Nigeria’s ongoing subsidy system.
Agule made this statement on Wednesday during a live interview on ARISE TV’s The Morning Show, while reacting to plans by the Federal Government to begin sharing electricity subsidy costs with state and local governments from 2026.
According to him, since the 2022 Electricity Act gives states the responsibility to establish electricity markets within their territories, they should also play a role in subsidy payments.
“I agree that now that states have the responsibility to create electricity markets in their domains, per the 2022 Electricity Act, they should also contribute to the subsidy discussion,” he said.
Agule suggested that subsidy contributions from states and local governments should be treated as a first-line deduction from the Federation Account.
He also criticised the government’s approach, saying authorities are focusing more on managing debts in the power sector rather than fixing the major issues affecting electricity supply.
“The government seems to be addressing the symptom – the accumulated debts in the electricity sector instead of tackling the root cause,” he said.
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Agule added that he personally spends more on electricity in Nigeria than he does in the UK, where power supply is more stable.
“I pay more for electricity in Nigeria than I pay for constant electricity in the UK,” he stated.
His comments come amid repeated national grid collapses, including two incidents recorded within one week in January.
Meanwhile, the Budget Office of the Federation recently announced that from 2026, electricity subsidies will no longer be handled solely by the Federal Government, as the cost will now be shared among federal, state and local governments in line with the Electricity Act.
