Abuja, Nigeria – Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has expressed profound disappointment that the country, with a population exceeding 200 million, still generates only 5,000 megawatts of electricity. Adelabu made this statement during a meeting with members of the Civil-Military Committee on Energy Security in his office on Wednesday.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Bolaji Tunji, on Thursday, Adelabu highlighted the urgent need for reform in Nigeria’s power sector. He criticized the high rate of power infrastructure vandalism, which he said undermines the government’s efforts to provide stable and affordable electricity.
“It is shameful for a nation of over 200 million people to still be on 5,000MW of electricity at this age,” Adelabu remarked. “Some of the transformers we are still using today are 64 years old. How do you expect such outdated equipment to meet modern demands?”
Adelabu attributed the current state of the power sector to decades of mismanagement and neglect. “This is a reflection of the actions and inactions of the past 60 years. We have not done what is right in this sector in the past 60 years, and that is what we are correcting now,” he said.
The minister emphasized that the administration of President Bola Tinubu aims to move beyond this stagnation. “President Tinubu desires to change this narrative and provide Nigerians with the energy they deserve,” Adelabu added. “Our goal is to eradicate energy poverty and ensure that electricity is accessible to all Nigerians, wherever they reside.”
Adelabu also stressed the importance of protecting the nation’s critical power infrastructure, citing vandalism as a major concern. “The Federal Government is taking this matter very seriously. We are ramping up efforts to safeguard our power assets and improve the quality, stability, and affordability of electricity for all Nigerians,” he stated.
The minister’s remarks underscore a broader commitment by the government to address long-standing issues in the power sector and to drive significant reforms aimed at enhancing the country’s energy infrastructure and delivery.