Energy is not cheap anywhere – APC senator fires back at Lagos Deputy Governor
The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola Bashiru, has responded to public concerns raised by the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat, over a sudden and sharp spike in his electricity bill, insisting that Nigeria does not operate a socialist economy where power is expected to be free or heavily subsidized.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Political Paradigm on Tuesday, April 15, Bashiru said energy costs are high globally, and that expecting cheap or free electricity in Nigeria was not realistic in today’s economic context.
“Energy is not cheap anywhere in the world. Nigeria is not running a socialist society. Let us get it very right. We are in a globalised economy,” he stated.
The electricity bill shocker
The conversation was sparked by Deputy Governor Hamzat’s revelation during a meeting with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) on Monday, April 14, where he disclosed that his electricity bill rose dramatically from ₦2.7 million in March to ₦29 million in April.
Hamzat’s complaint quickly ignited public debates about billing practices, metering issues, and affordability.
Bashiru’s clapback
In response, Senator Bashiru emphasized the complexity of electricity pricing and the reforms being undertaken in Nigeria’s power sector:
“Of recent, the transmission companies have been unbundled to address the problem of inefficiency and for adequate focus to ensure there is electricity supply for Nigerians.”
Questioning the context of Hamzat’s claim, he added:
“As to the tale by the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, I don’t know the level of gadgets he has in his house. I wouldn’t know the size of his house and I wouldn’t know the energy requirement that would occasion that huge amount of money and the basis of that bill.”
He argued that such a large bill cannot be used as an example of what ordinary Nigerians experience:
“It would not be correct to say that that humongous amount would apply to ordinary Nigerians who just run their lifestyle based on watching television, using electricity, and possibly when there is heat, using air condition.”
Economics over emotion
Bashiru stressed that Nigeria’s power sector must operate based on economic efficiency, where costs are recovered and profit is made:
“You cannot pigeonhole to say people spend ₦20,000 in a matter of days. What is the cost of generating, what is the cost of transmission? What is the cost of distribution?
“It should be run on the basis of economic efficiency so that the cost of production of the energy itself must be recovered and they must be able to make profit. We are not running a socialist economy.”
Context and controversy
The remarks come as Nigerians face ongoing frustrations with rising electricity tariffs, irregular power supply, and estimated billing practices, despite years of privatization and reform.
While the federal government insists on the need for cost-reflective tariffs, critics argue that service delivery does not yet justify the rising costs, especially for low-income and middle-class families.
As the debate grows, all eyes are on regulators, power companies, and public officials to balance economic realities with social responsibility — and to ensure transparency and fairness in energy billing.
