By Clement Idoko

Copyright tribuneonlineng

The Federal Government on Monday announced the determination of the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address the energy crisis in the country.

According to the government, the current administration has kick-started the implementation of one of the world’s largest distributed renewable energy projects — the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) project, a $750 million World Bank-supported programme that will deliver clean and off-grid electricity to more than 17.5 million Nigerians.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made this known during a joint news conference with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, as part of activities marking the 65th Independence Day Anniversary of Nigeria.

Akume earlier announced that on Wednesday, 1 October 2025, President Tinubu will address the nation in a Presidential Broadcast in the morning. The Federal Government had earlier opted for a low-key celebration of this year’s Independence Anniversary.

He commended Tinubu for his bold leadership under the Renewed Hope Agenda and reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Executive Council to continue driving policy formulation and effective implementation for the good of the people.

Speaking on alleged marginalisation by a section of the country, the Minister of Information, Idris, debunked the claims, saying that no section of the country is being left behind in President Tinubu’s administration.

He explained that this was why, on assumption of office, President Tinubu created an additional five development commissions in the country in order to take care of all the geo-political zones, and that today all of them are in full operation.

The Minister pointed out that rather than complaining, all Nigerians should come together to contribute to the development of the country, saying that President Tinubu is committed to making Nigeria a great nation again.

Idris highlighted key milestones of President Tinubu’s administration, saying: “Under President Tinubu, our nation is gradually recapturing the spirit of people-centred, grassroots development, through the establishment of five new regional development commissions and a supervising federal ministry for regional development.

“We are in the middle of a road and transport infrastructure revolution, of which the flagship initiative is the one comprising the Presidential legacy highways, designed to connect Nigeria’s geo-political zones, enhance national integration and unlock new economic corridors.

“These landmark road projects are the 1,068-kilometre Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway; the 750-kilometre Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway; the 477-kilometre Trans-Saharan Highway traversing Calabar, Ebonyi, Kogi, Benue, Nasarawa, and the FCT; and the 422-kilometre Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe Expressway.

“Complementing these are the high-impact rail projects: the Kano–Kaduna standard gauge rail, and the renewed push for the rehabilitation of the Eastern Corridor of the rail line from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri.

“In the energy sector, this administration has revived the 255MW Kaduna Power Plant, and we are determined to bring it to completion. The Presidential Power Initiative (also known as the Siemens power project) is on course, as is the Presidential Metering Initiative, a vital collaboration between the Federal and subnational governments, which will deliver seven million smart metres to close the country’s metering gap by 2027.

“Currently, Nigeria is home to the implementation of one of the world’s largest distributed renewable energy projects — the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) project, a $750 million World Bank-supported programme that will deliver clean and off-grid electricity to more than 17.5 million Nigerians,” he stated.

The Minister also confirmed that from January 2026, the government will commence implementation of the Tax Acts quartet, which is expected to expand the nation’s revenue base while simultaneously simplifying tax collection and lessening the burden on the people.

He noted that these new tax laws represent a huge leap forward for the Nigerian economy and for business, entrepreneurship, and investment.

“With more revenue at its disposal, on account of the reforms, the Tinubu administration is investing heavily in the key components that will catalyse our collective growth and development: health, education, infrastructure, agriculture, energy security, regional and grassroots development, small business, youth, and national security,” Idris stated.

Senator George Akume, on his part, said the journey from 1960 to this moment has been marked by triumphs and trials, moments of joy and of testing, but through it all, the Nigerian spirit has remained unbroken.

“We have endured challenges in governance, economy, security, and social cohesion. Our true strength lies in our capacity to consistently rise after every storm, to rebuild after every setback, and forge ahead with resilience and faith in our destiny as a great nation,” he said.

ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE