The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has expressed frustration over the shortage of trained technicians in Nigeria’s electricity industry, saying more than 400,000 newly imported meters remain unused due to a lack of qualified installers.
Speaking at the Nigeria Energy Conference in Lagos, Adelabu said the situation highlights a deep human capacity gap that continues to slow progress in the power sector.
According to him, of the 500,000 meters imported last month, fewer than 100,000 have been installed. “We brought in over half a million meters, but we’ve installed less than 100,000 because we don’t have enough certified installers. Yet, we say our youths are unemployed,” he said.
Adelabu noted that the challenge extends beyond metering to other technical areas in the sector. He warned that if Nigeria were to import all six million meters needed to close the national metering deficit today, it could take up to five years to install them due to the shortage of skilled workers.
The minister described the situation as a reflection of the broader manpower deficit in the power industry. He stressed the need for continuous training and certification of technicians to ensure sustainable growth.
“There are so many opportunities in this sector that remain unfilled because we are not building local capacity,” Adelabu said. “We must train, certify, and empower Nigerians to take on these roles instead of depending on external expertise.”
He disclosed that the ministry had recently commissioned new training facilities at the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN), including simulation equipment, workshops, and accommodations to support hands-on learning.
Adelabu also lamented the decline in technical training since the era of the defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) and the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). He said successor companies have not matched the previous standard of human capital development in the sector.
“For years, training for engineers and technicians has been neglected. During the NEPA and PHCN days, there were consistent capacity-building programs. Today, that culture has faded,” he added.
He assured stakeholders that the ministry is prioritizing skills development across the entire energy value chain — from gas supply to generation, transmission, and distribution — including renewable energy technologies.
“Our reforms will not succeed without people who have the skills to drive them,” the minister said. “We are working to revive training and make sure Nigeria produces the expertise needed to sustain the power sector.”
