Minister Adelabu Resigns as Power Minister, Pursues Governorship Ambition

Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu is set to resign in the coming days after receiving President Bola Tinubu’s consent to pursue a governorship ambition. Special Adviser Tunji Bolaji confirmed the development, stating that the timing of the resignation reflects Adelabu’s commitment to addressing key challenges in the power sector and ensuring continuity in ongoing reforms.

Adelabu met with President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday, where he presented a comprehensive report on his stewardship of the power sector over the past two and a half years. The president commended the minister for his dedication and the progress recorded, particularly in laying a strong policy foundation for the sector’s transformation. Tinubu also granted his blessing for Adelabu to pursue his political ambitions.

During the meeting, Adelabu outlined key milestones achieved under his leadership, including efforts to stabilise electricity generation, strengthen transmission capacity, and implement reforms aimed at enhancing efficiency and service delivery across the power sector value chain. A central highlight of the engagement was the presentation of the National Integrated Electricity Policy (NIEP) and its accompanying Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP), alongside the Medium-Long Term Integrated Resource Plan for the Power Sector to guide succession and sustainability.

The NIEP is a comprehensive policy framework designed to guide the sustainable development of Nigeria’s electricity sector. It provides a long-term roadmap for achieving energy security, expanding electricity access, integrating renewable energy, and building a more resilient and efficient power sector. The SIP serves as the operational blueprint for the NIEP, detailing specific actions, timelines, and institutional responsibilities required to translate policy objectives into measurable outcomes.

The SIP prioritises critical interventions across generation, transmission, and distribution, while also addressing regulatory reforms, investment mobilisation, human capacity, and local content development within the sector. Notably, these efforts include stabilising the sector following recent declines in power generation due to gas supply constraints to power plants, ongoing pipeline repairs, and outstanding obligations to gas suppliers.

Adelabu expressed profound appreciation to the president for his steadfast support and reaffirmed his commitment to the advancement of Nigeria’s power sector and overall national development. His resignation is expected to take effect in the coming days, marking the end of a tenure focused on transformative reforms and strategic planning for the country’s energy future.