Tinubu’ll deliver uninterrupted power before he leaves office – Minister

The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, has said Nigerians will enjoy uninterrupted electricity supply before the end of President Bola Tinubu’s tenure in 2027.

Adelabu gave the assurance on Saturday during the commissioning of the Kwaru 1X15MVA 33/11KV injection substation in the Ikotun-Egbe area of Lagos State.

He said the Federal Government was taking a multi-pronged approach to address long-standing challenges in generation, transmission, and distribution.

“The present administration in Nigeria, led by His Excellency, Mr. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with the Renewed Hope Agenda, recognises that energy is not merely a commodity; it is the backbone of economic growth and job creation.

“Nigerians can be assured of the President’s determination to ensure that citizens enjoy full and uninterrupted electricity supply before he leaves office,” the minister stated.

During the 2023 electoral campaign, Tinubu promised to work towards ensuring an uninterrupted power supply within four years in office.

This promise was recently questioned by the African Democratic Congress Interim National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, who noted that more than halfway into Tinubu’s administration, there has been little progress in meeting the commitments made to voters.

But on Saturday, Adelabu said while the promise may not be fully met within four years, Tinubu’s goal remained achievable before 2027.

“To ensure the growth and sustainability of the sector, the Federal Government of Nigeria continues to implement a multi-pronged approach, which has yielded some remarkable achievements.”

Beyond improving electricity supply to communities such as Abaranje, Isijola, Igando Road, Omoboriowo, Okerube, and surrounding areas, Adelabu emphasised that the project would have far-reaching benefits for Lagos State’s economy.

“This initiative will reduce operational challenges caused by power shortages, provide direct support to small and medium-sized enterprises, stimulate economic growth, and create new job opportunities,” he said.

The minister highlighted key achievements under the Renewed Hope Agenda, including “the decentralisation and liberalisation of the power sector through the Electricity Act 2023, which has activated twelve state electricity markets and led to the development of a National Integrated Electricity Policy after 24 years.”

He noted, “The attraction of over $2bn in fresh investments to expand electricity access,” as well as “the transition towards full commercialisation, which increased the sector’s revenue by 70 per cent in 2024.”

Other milestones, according to Adelabu, include “an increase in Nigeria’s installed generation capacity from 13GW to 14GW, with an all-time peak of 5,801.44 MW and a maximum daily energy record of 128,370.75 MWh on March 4, 2025.”

He stated, “The stabilisation of the national grid through the Siemens Project, adding over 700 MW of transmission capacity,” and “the successful mobilisation of N700bn from FAAC for the Presidential Metering Initiative, alongside a $500m World Bank DISREP fund, which will add 3.45 million meters to the sector.”

However, Adelabu acknowledged ongoing challenges, particularly in distribution, where “loss levels exceed regulatory limits, market remittances fall short, and customer complaints about service disruptions persist.

“Under my leadership, the Federal Ministry of Power remains fully committed to working with Distribution Companies (DisCos) to address these issues and ensure energy security nationwide.”

The minister further commended Ikeja Electric for completing the substation project within 12 months, praising their “diligence, proper planning, stakeholder engagement, and technical expertise. Ikeja Electric is one of the top-performing DisCos in Nigeria.

“We recognise their efforts and urge even greater strides in expanding access and improving service quality.

“The Federal Ministry of Power remains committed to supporting initiatives that enhance energy reliability and affordability for all customers,” he said.