Adelabu Resigns as Minister of Power, Makes One Request to Tinubu Amid Persistent Blackouts
- Adebayo Adelabu has resigned as Nigeria’s Minister of Power, citing the need for reforms amid persistent nationwide electricity outages
- Before leaving, he called on President Bola Tinubu to establish a Coordinating Minister for Energy
- The proposal aims to tackle ongoing blackouts by improving coordination and increasing efficiency
Legit.ng journalist Dave Ibemere has over a decade of experience in business journalism, with in-depth knowledge of the Nigerian economy, stocks, and general market trends.
Adebayo Adelabu, Nigeria’s outgoing Minister of Power, has requested President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to establish a Coordinating Minister for Energy as he formally submitted his resignation.
The minister said the creation of a central coordinating authority across Nigeria’s energy ecosystem would help to sustain recent reforms and ensure alignment across the power, gas and related sectors.
Source: UGC
In a statement issued on Wednesday, April 22, by his Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and Media Relations, Bolaji Tunji, Adelabu said his resignation would take effect from April 30 to allow him to pursue his governorship ambition in Oyo State.
His words:
“Sustaining and consolidating gains in the power sector requires stronger coordination at the highest level."
Adelabu also noted that a unified structure would help harmonise policy direction and execution.
Adelabu lists achievements
Tunji confirmed that Adelabu expressed gratitude to Tinubu for the opportunity to serve, describing his tenure as a privilege and a chance to contribute to national development.
Adelabu salso aid his decision to step down complies with provisions of the Amended Electoral Act 2026, which bars serving political officeholders from contesting elections. He added that his governorship ambition dates back to 2016 during his time as deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
In his three-page letter, the minister highlighted key achievements during his tenure, including the implementation of the Electricity Act 2023, which decentralised the power market and improved the investment climate.
He said peak generation rose above 6,000 megawatts, supported by the integration of the Zungeru Hydropower Plant and the rehabilitation of thermal plants, while transmission capacity improved through grid upgrades under the Presidential Power Initiative.
Adelabu also cited progress in the distribution segment, including improved regulatory oversight, enhanced revenue collection and efforts to reduce aggregate technical, commercial and collection losses.
Source: Getty Images
On the financial side, he said tariff reforms and a N4 trillion debt restructuring programme helped boost market revenues from N1 trillion in 2023 to N2.3 trillion in 2025, restoring investor confidence.
Power blackout solution
Despite the progress, Adelabu acknowledged lingering challenges such as gas supply constraints, infrastructure vandalism and the need for full commercialisation of the electricity value chain.
He recommended measures including cost-reflective tariffs with targeted subsidies, recapitalisation of distribution companies, accelerated metering, sustained transmission investments and stronger regulatory enforcement.
Central to his proposals, he said, is the creation of a Coordinating Minister for Energy to ensure synergy across power, gas, water resources and environmental sectors, an approach he described as vital for improving gas supply for thermal generation, optimising hydroelectric resources and accelerating renewable energy deployment.
EKEDC announces 3-day power outage
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) has announced a planned electricity outage lasting three days in several parts of Lagos state due to maintenance and upgrade works.
The company issued the notice in a public statement to customers within its network coverage.
In a separate notice, the electricity company announced that residents of Apapa, Kirikiri, Ajegunle, Mobil Road, and surrounding areas will experience a power outage.
Source: Legit.ng
