“Nigerians will enjoy uninterrupted power before Tinubu leaves office” – Power Minister

The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, has said Nigerians will experience uninterrupted electricity supply before President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration ends in 2027.

Adelabu made the statement on Saturday during the commissioning of the Kwaru 1X15MVA 33/11KV injection substation in the Ikotun-Egbe area of Lagos State.

He emphasised that the Federal Government is implementing a comprehensive approach to address long-standing issues in electricity generation, transmission, and distribution.

“The Tinubu-led administration, under the Renewed Hope Agenda, sees energy as a critical enabler of economic development and job creation,” the minister said. “Nigerians can be assured of the President’s commitment to achieving stable and uninterrupted power supply before the end of his tenure.”

During the 2023 election campaign, President Tinubu pledged to end Nigeria’s electricity challenges within four years. However, some critics have questioned the feasibility of the promise, noting slow progress.

In response, Adelabu admitted that while the full promise may not be met within the initial timeline, the goal is still achievable before 2027.

He highlighted that the government’s multi-track strategy is already yielding results.

“This administration continues to invest in power infrastructure across the value chain. We are seeing measurable gains,” he said.

Adelabu said the new substation will boost electricity supply to communities such as Abaranje, Isijola, Igando Road, Omoboriowo, and Okerube.

He noted that the improved power supply will support small and medium enterprises, drive economic activity, and generate new employment opportunities.

Highlighting reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda, Adelabu pointed to the Electricity Act 2023, which decentralised the sector and activated electricity markets in 12 states.

He said this was the first time in over two decades that a national electricity policy had been developed.

He also revealed that the power sector has attracted over $2 billion in new investments, and that commercial reforms led to a 70% increase in revenue in 2024.

Other key milestones mentioned include the rise in installed generation capacity from 13GW to 14GW, an all-time grid peak of 5,801.44 MW, and a daily energy delivery record of 128,370.75 MWh as of March 4, 2025.

Adelabu credited the Siemens power project with stabilising the grid and adding over 700 MW to the transmission network.

He also mentioned the mobilisation of N700 billion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee for the Presidential Metering Initiative, as well as a $500 million fund from the World Bank’s Distribution Sector Recovery Program. Together, these initiatives are expected to deliver 3.45 million prepaid meters.

“The stabilisation of the national grid through the Siemens Project, adding over 700 MW of transmission capacity,” and “the successful mobilisation of N700bn from FAAC for the Presidential Metering Initiative, alongside a $500m World Bank DISREP fund, which will add 3.45 million meters to the sector,” he said.

Despite the progress, the minister admitted that challenges remain, especially in the distribution segment.

He cited high technical and commercial losses, underperformance in revenue remittance, and widespread customer dissatisfaction.

“Under the leadership, the Federal Ministry of Power remains fully committed to working with Distribution Companies DisCos to resolve these issues and ensure energy security nationwide,” he stated.

Adelabu commended Ikeja Electric for completing the new substation within 12 months, praising the company’s planning, community engagement, and technical execution.

He described Ikeja Electric as one of the best-performing DisCos and encouraged continued improvement in expanding access and raising service standards.