Africa (Commonwealth Union) _ Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu1, has announced that over 40% of electricity consumers in the country now enjoy more than 20 hours of continuous electricity supply. In a statement reviewing the past year’s progress, Adelabu highlighted several transformative measures aimed at stabilizing and enhancing the nation’s power infrastructure.
He noted that Nigeria is currently generating over 5,500 megawatts of electricity, which is being efficiently transmitted and distributed. According to Adelabu, this improvement is a direct result of the government’s commitment to revolutionizing the energy sector. With support from President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda, the power ministry has made strides toward increasing energy access and driving economic growth through a stable electricity supply.
Adelabu underscored the vital role consistent power plays in any thriving economy, pointing out that industrialized nations such as South Korea, China, and the U.S. owe much of their economic success to a reliable energy infrastructure. He emphasized that achieving such stability in Nigeria is critical for economic development and job creation.
“In his New Year address, President Tinubu reaffirmed the need for Nigeria to achieve stable, functional, and reliable electricity to drive progress across sectors,” Adelabu said. He further expressed the ministry’s vision to provide consistent power to households, businesses, schools, and hospitals, enhancing productivity and boosting the country’s industrial output.
Comparing Nigeria’s vision to the development of South Korea’s industrial giants like Samsung and Hyundai, Adelabu stressed that stable electricity is the foundation for business growth. “With reliable power, Nigeria’s industries will thrive, resulting in increased production, more jobs, and a higher quality of life for all citizens,” he added.
The minister highlighted the ministry’s mission to ensure national development by creating effective policies and institutions that deliver affordable and sustainable power to all sectors. Working in collaboration with international agencies such as the World Bank and USAID, Nigeria’s power ministry also engages with 27 generating companies and 11 distribution companies nationwide.
Adelabu noted that when he took office, Nigeria’s installed capacity stood at 13,000 megawatts, but the actual distributed power was only around 4,000 megawatts. Since then, the capacity has increased to over 14,000 megawatts, thanks to projects like the Zungeru hydroelectric plant. He concluded that these efforts are just the beginning of further improvements in the power sector.
