THE Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, has assured Nigerians that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains committed to delivering uninterrupted electricity supply before the end of his administration in 2027.
Speaking on Sunday during the commissioning of the Kwaru 1X15MVA 33/11KV injection substation in the Ikotun-Egbe area of Lagos State, Adelabu stated that significant progress is being made under the Renewed Hope Agenda to reform Nigeria’s power sector and end the cycle of unreliable supply.
“Nigerians can be assured of the President’s determination to ensure that citizens enjoy full and uninterrupted electricity supply before he leaves office,” the Minister said.
Adelabu emphasised that the Federal Government is pursuing a multi-pronged approach to address long-standing challenges in generation, transmission, and distribution and that while full delivery of the promise may not happen within four years, the 2027 target remains firmly in sight.
During the 2023 presidential campaign, Tinubu promised to deliver reliable power within four years — a pledge many saw as ambitious given the complexity of Nigeria’s power woes. That promise has since faced public scrutiny, particularly as the halfway mark of his tenure approaches with persistent blackouts and service failures in many parts of the country.
Recently, Bolaji Abdullahi, interim National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), questioned the government’s progress, describing it as slow and inadequate.
In response, Adelabu defended the administration’s record and affirmed that “remarkable achievements” have been recorded across multiple fronts.
According to the minister, the newly commissioned substation will improve electricity supply to communities including Abaranje, Isijola, Igando Road, Omoboriowo, Okerube, and surrounding areas in Lagos — reducing outages, supporting small and medium-scale businesses, and boosting local economic activity.
He praised Ikeja Electric, the Distribution Company (DisCo) responsible for the project, for completing the substation within 12 months, highlighting their technical capacity, stakeholder engagement, and planning efficiency.
“Ikeja Electric is one of the top-performing DisCos in Nigeria. We commend their efforts and encourage them to expand further,” Adelabu added.
The minister went on to list several key achievements recorded so far under President Tinubu’s power sector reform initiative:
Passage of the Electricity Act 2023, which decentralised the power sector and led to the activation of 12 state-level electricity markets — the first time in Nigeria’s history.
Development of a National Integrated Electricity Policy, ending a 24-year policy vacuum.
Over $2 billion in new private sector investments attracted to expand access and efficiency.
Increase in installed generation capacity from 13GW to 14GW, with a record peak of 5,801.44 MW and a maximum daily energy dispatch of 128,370.75 MWh as of March 4, 2025.
Stabilisation of the national grid through the Siemens Presidential Power Initiative, which has added over 700 MW in transmission capacity.
Mobilisation of N700 billion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) for the Presidential Metering Initiative.
Deployment of a $500 million World Bank DISREP fund to install 3.45 million meters across the country.
Despite these advances, Adelabu admitted that challenges remain — particularly in the distribution arm of the power value chain.
“Loss levels remain above regulatory thresholds. Market remittances are still below expectations, and customer complaints about service disruptions persist,” he said.
The minister, however, vowed continued collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Power and the DisCos to resolve these issues and ensure the long-term sustainability of energy access nationwide.
Adelabu concluded by reinforcing that reliable power is not just a campaign promise, but a cornerstone of national development.
“Energy is not merely a commodity. It is the backbone of economic growth, industrial expansion, and job creation. Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, we are building a power sector that reflects these realities,” he said.