The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has resigned from office and proposed the creation of a Coordinating Minister for Energy to drive integrated reforms across Nigeria’s power and gas sectors. The minister, in a resignation letter dated April 22, 2026, and addressed to President Bola Tinubu, said his resignation will……
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has resigned from office and proposed the creation of a Coordinating Minister for Energy to drive integrated reforms across Nigeria’s power and gas sectors.
The minister, in a resignation letter dated April 22, 2026, and addressed to President Bola Tinubu, said his resignation will take effect from April 30, 2026, to enable him to pursue his governorship ambition in Oyo State.
He noted that his decision is in line with the provisions of the Amended Electoral Act 2026, which bars serving political office holders from contesting elections.
Confirming the development, the Minister’s Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and Media Relations, Bolaji Tunji, said Adelabu expressed appreciation to the President for the opportunity to serve, describing his tenure as a privilege to contribute to national development.
The outgoing minister stressed the need for stronger coordination in the energy sector, recommending the establishment of a Coordinating Minister for Energy to harmonise policies and ensure effective implementation across power, gas and related sectors.
Adelabu highlighted key achievements recorded during his tenure, including the implementation of the Electricity Act 2023, which decentralised the electricity market and improved the investment climate.
He added that peak power generation increased to over 6,000 megawatts, driven by the integration of the Zungeru Hydropower Plant and the rehabilitation of thermal plants.
He also noted improvements in transmission capacity through grid upgrades under the Presidential Power Initiative, as well as progress in the distribution segment, including enhanced regulatory oversight, improved revenue collection and efforts to reduce Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection (ATC&C) losses.
According to him, strides were also made in closing the metering gap through the Presidential Metering Initiative and the World Bank-supported Distribution Sector Recovery Programme.
On the financial side, Adelabu said tariff reforms and a N4 trillion debt restructuring programme boosted market revenues from N1 trillion in 2023 to N2.3 trillion in 2025, helping to restore investor confidence in the sector.
Despite these gains, he acknowledged ongoing challenges such as gas supply constraints, infrastructure vandalism and the need for full commercialisation of the electricity value chain.
To address these issues, he proposed measures including the implementation of cost-reflective tariffs with targeted subsidies, recapitalisation of distribution companies, accelerated nationwide metering, sustained investment in transmission infrastructure and stronger regulatory enforcement.
Adelabu emphasised that the creation of a Coordinating Minister for Energy would provide the strategic oversight needed to improve gas supply for power generation, optimise hydroelectric resources and accelerate renewable energy development.
He assured that he would ensure a smooth handover process and thanked the President for his support throughout his time in office.