Adebayo Adelabu, Nigeria’s newly appointed Minister for Power, has assured that Nigerians will soon witness a significant improvement in the nation’s power supply.
He assured that the long-awaited turnaround in the power sector has finally arrived, emphasizing his determination to lay a strong foundation for 24/7 electricity supply in Nigeria during his tenure as Minister, according to Energy News Africa.
Adelabu stated this during a conversation with journalists in Alakia, Ibadan, acknowledging that achieving this wouldn’t happen overnight but once the foundation was established, subsequent progress would follow.
He decried the prolonged challenges faced by the country due to the Ministry’s historically low performance in delivering electricity to the populace.
Adelabu outlined some specific plans for the near future, stating that within the next six months, there would be a significant addition to the national grid, with the Zungeru hydro power plant in Niger State set to contribute 700MW, becoming the largest of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa upon completion. He also mentioned the potential of upgrading other dams, like Kanji and Sororo, to enhance power generation.
The Minister also bemoaned the misallocation of resources in the past and the sector’s failure to meet the expectations of Nigerians asserted that this is a new era, and he is committed to leveraging every available resource to ensure a stable power supply in the country.
Adelabu disclosed that, within the next two weeks to a month, he and other relevant stakeholders in the sector would conduct a comprehensive review of the power supply value chain, encompassing generation, distribution, and transmission. This review will help identify and address the challenges currently impeding progress in the sector.
He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for appointing him as Minister and pledged to exceed the expectations of all Nigerians in his role.
