The outgoing Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has recommended the creation of a Coordinating Minister for Energy as he steps down from office to pursue his governorship ambition in Oyo State.
In a resignation letter dated April 22 and addressed to Bola Tinubu, Adelabu said his exit will take effect on April 30 in line with the amended Electoral Act, which prevents political appointees from holding office while contesting elections.
He explained that although progress has been made in the power sector, sustained reforms would require stronger coordination at the highest level of government. According to him, a central authority overseeing energy-related ministries would improve policy alignment across power, gas, water resources and environmental sectors.
Adelabu said such coordination would help address gas supply challenges to thermal power plants, optimise hydro resources and accelerate renewable energy development across the country.
Reflecting on his tenure, he cited the implementation of the Electricity Act 2023 as a key milestone that decentralised the electricity market and encouraged investment. He noted that peak electricity generation exceeded 6,000 megawatts, supported by the addition of the Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Station and the rehabilitation of several thermal plants.
He also referenced improvements to the transmission network under the Presidential Power Initiative, which strengthened the national grid’s capacity.
On electricity distribution, Adelabu highlighted improved regulatory oversight, higher revenue collection and efforts to reduce technical and commercial losses. He added that progress in closing the country’s metering gap was driven by the Presidential Metering Initiative and a World Bank-backed recovery programme for distribution companies.
Financial reforms in the sector, he said, included tariff adjustments and a N4tn debt restructuring programme that increased market revenue from N1tn in 2023 to N2.3tn in 2025, helping restore investor confidence.
Despite these gains, the minister acknowledged ongoing issues such as gas constraints, vandalism of infrastructure and the need for full commercialisation of the electricity value chain.
He recommended measures such as cost-reflective tariffs with targeted subsidies, recapitalisation of distribution companies, accelerated metering, sustained transmission investments and stronger regulatory enforcement.
Adelabu expressed gratitude to the President for the opportunity to serve and pledged to ensure a smooth handover before leaving office.
