The tenure of Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, officially ended on April 30, 2026. His time in office brought some progress in electricity generation, pricing reforms, and revenue growth. However, these gains were overshadowed by ongoing challenges such as frequent national grid collapses, weak infrastructure, and unresolved structural issues in the power sector.
During his tenure, Nigeria recorded a peak electricity generation of 6,003 megawatts in March 2025—the highest in the country’s history. This improvement was supported by projects like the Zungeru Hydropower Plant and efforts to repair existing thermal stations. Despite this milestone, power supply remained inconsistent, with generation levels fluctuating widely due to gas shortages, equipment failures, and instability in the national grid.
One of the major concerns during Adelabu’s time was the repeated collapse of the national grid. Between August 2023 and April 2026, the grid reportedly failed about 22 times. These incidents were caused by factors such as vandalism, poor maintenance, and weak transmission systems. Even with increased generation capacity, the grid was unable to handle and distribute power effectively.
Adelabu also introduced important reforms aimed at restructuring the power sector. A key achievement was the implementation of the Electricity Act 2023, which allowed for decentralization and encouraged more private sector participation. Additionally, the government launched a N501 billion bond as part of a broader N3.3 trillion plan to reduce debts in the sector. By April 2026, about N223 billion had already been paid out to support electricity market players.
Another major policy change was the removal of electricity subsidies for Band A customers—those expected to receive at least 20 hours of power daily. This led to a sharp increase in tariffs, from around N66 to over N210 per kilowatt-hour. While the move helped reduce the government’s financial burden and increased sector revenue, many Nigerians complained about higher electricity bills without noticeable improvement in supply.
Revenue in the power sector grew significantly, rising from about N1 trillion in 2023 to N2.3 trillion in 2025. However, challenges in metering persisted. By the end of 2025, only 6.9 million out of 12.1 million electricity users had meters, leaving a large number of consumers on estimated billing.
Adelabu admitted that several problems remain unresolved, including gas supply issues, vandalism, and incomplete reforms across the electricity value chain. He emphasized the need for continued investment, better coordination, and full commercialization of the sector.
Experts say his legacy is mixed. While he laid a foundation with policy reforms and financial restructuring, the gap between plans and actual performance remains wide. They stress that Nigeria needs strong leadership, technical expertise, and investor confidence to truly transform the power sector.
