Adelabu: Nigerians will enjoy 24-hour power before end of Tinubu’s tenure

Bayo Adelabu, the minister of power, has promised Nigerians a 24-hour electricity supply before the end of the Tinubu-led administration.

Adelabu made this statement at the commissioning of the Kwaru 1X15 megavolt-amperes (MVA) 33/11 kilovolt (KV) injection substation in the Ikotun-Egbe suburb of Lagos State.

At the event, the minister reiterated the president’s vision of achieving an uninterrupted electricity supply by implementing measures aimed at improving power generation, transmission, and distribution across the country.

“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,” Adelabu said.

“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.”

The minister acknowledged that the project, which is aimed at improving electricity supply to communities such as Abaranje, Igando Road, and surrounding areas, would improve the state’s economy as a whole.

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

Speaking further at the event in Lagos, the minister outlined the achievements of the administration as well as its challenges in achieving a full, uninterrupted power supply.

According to Adelabu, the country has attracted over $2 billion in fresh investments to expand electricity access and has moved towards full commercialisation, which has increased the sector’s revenue significantly.

Amongst other listed achievements, he also mentioned an increase in Nigeria’s installed generation capacity from 13 gigawatts (GW) to 14GW, with an all-time peak of 5,801.44 megawatts (MW) and a maximum daily energy record of 128,370.75 megawatt-hours (MWh) on March 4.

About the challenges, Adelabu acknowledged the power distribution where loss levels exceed regulatory limits, market remittances fall short, and customer complaints about service disruptions persist.

Despite the challenges, the minister assured Nigerians that power supply will be uninterrupted and affordable for all customers sooner rather than later.

“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,” Adelabu said.

The minister concluded his speech by appreciating Ikeja Electric for completing the substation project within 12 months.