Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has apologised to Nigerians over the recent power outages, assuring that improvements will be seen in the coming days.
Speaking at a press conference, Adelabu described the situation as temporary, noting that it has caused hardship for households, businesses, schools and industries, especially during the current dry season.
He attributed the outages to gas supply shortages affecting generation companies, largely due to debts owed to gas suppliers. He also warned that ongoing tensions in the Middle East could further impact the situation.
The minister explained that Nigeria’s power sector depends heavily on gas-fired plants, which continue to face disruptions from inadequate supply, pipeline maintenance challenges, ageing infrastructure and financial constraints.
To address the crisis, Adelabu proposed expanding renewable energy solutions, particularly off-grid and mini-grid systems, as a sustainable way to improve electricity access without overburdening the national grid.
He also called for greater integration of renewable sources such as solar and hydro into the grid to enhance energy security and reduce reliance on gas.
On his political future, Adelabu declined to confirm whether he would contest the Oyo State governorship in 2027, noting that he still has time before the deadline set by President Bola Tinubu for appointees with political ambitions to resign.
