The Federal Government and power-generating companies have finalised a payment plan for the presidential power sector debt.

A statement from office of the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Olu Verheijen, on Tuesday said the development would restore financial stability and investor confidence in the electricity market.

According to her, the debt reduction framework has been approved by President Bola Tinubu to address structural bottlenecks and lay the groundwork for large-scale private sector-led investment and sustained economic growth.

On Tuesday, 7 October 2025, in Abuja, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, the Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu, and Verheijen, met with senior executives of GenCos to review settlement modalities for the outstanding debt.

The meeting, Verheijen noted, concluded with a consensus on the way forward, which includes conducting bilateral negotiations to finalise full and final settlement agreements that balance fiscal realities with the financial constraints of the GenCos.

Approved by President Tinubu and endorsed by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in August 2025, the plan authorises the issuance of up to ₦4 trillion in government-backed bonds to settle verified arrears owed to generation companies and gas suppliers.

The intervention, the largest in over a decade, addresses a legacy debt overhang that has constrained investment, weakened utility balance sheets, and hindered reliable power delivery across the country.

Speaking during the October 7 meeting, Verheijen quoted Chairman of Heirs Holdings and Transcorp Power, Tony Elumelu, as saying, “For the first time in years, we are seeing a credible and systematic effort by government to tackle the root liquidity challenges in the power sector”.  “We commend President Tinubu and his economic team for this bold and transformative step”.

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Again, Group Managing Director of Sahara Group, Kola Adesina, was also quoted to have echoed Elumelu’s sentiment.

“This initiative is significant in every respect. It gives us renewed confidence in the reform process and a clear signal that the government is serious about building a sustainable power sector.”

Verheijen said, “Beyond clearing arrears, the debt reduction plan signals a strategic reset of Nigeria’s electricity market. Restoring the financial health of power companies will enable new investment in generation capacity, modernise grid infrastructure, and deliver more reliable electricity to homes and businesses, creating a stronger foundation for industrialisation, job creation, and inclusive economic growth.

“Our focus is on creating the right conditions for investment, from modernising the grid and improving distribution to scaling embedded generation.

“By closing metering gaps, aligning tariffs with efficient costs, improving subsidy targeting to support the poor and vulnerable, and restoring regulatory trust, we are shifting from crisis response to sustained delivery and building the confidence needed to attract large-scale private capital. These reforms go beyond liquidity”.

“They are about rebuilding the fundamentals so that Nigeria’s power sector works for investors, for citizens, and for the next generation. This is how we create the enabling conditions for sustained private investment and transform reliable power into a catalyst for economic growth,” said Edun.

The Presidential Power Sector Debt Reduction Plan is being jointly implemented by the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Federal Ministry of Power, and the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, in collaboration with the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) Plc and other key stakeholders.