The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, says Nigeria needs at least 10 billion dollars every year for the next 20 years to achieve a stable and reliable electricity supply across the country.
Speaking at the commissioning of a 2.5 megawatt solar hybrid power project at the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna, Adelabu identified poor maintenance, decades of underinvestment, and outdated transmission infrastructure as the major problems plaguing the power sector. He noted that these challenges have built up over more than 60 years and must be addressed holistically.
Adelabu stated that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is working to correct the longstanding issues that have kept Nigerians in darkness for years. According to him, fixing the power sector requires more than just money, as foundational reforms are also needed to ensure lasting impact.
He described the recently signed electricity act as a major milestone, saying it allows federal, state, and local governments to participate fully in power generation, transmission, distribution, and metering. He said over 11 states have already begun to take advantage of this autonomy, and more are expected to follow.
“This decentralisation means that states can now provide electricity directly to their residents without depending solely on the national grid,” Adelabu explained. He added that the government remains committed to providing energy to key national institutions, starting with projects like the one commissioned at the NDA.
The minister also pointed out that beyond the infrastructure deficit, regulatory and operational reforms are necessary to ensure that future investments bring real change to Nigeria’s power landscape.
His remarks come at a time when the country is battling persistent electricity shortages, frequent grid collapses, and rising debts in the power sector. The federal government has set a target of expanding the national grid by 4,000 megawatts by 2026, along with the distribution of over 275,000 electricity meters before the end of 2025.
