Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has formally resigned from his position, citing plans to pursue the Oyo State governorship, while recommending the creation of a Coordinating Minister for Energy to strengthen reforms across the sector.
In a resignation letter dated April 22, 2026, and addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Adelabu said his exit will take effect on April 30, 2026, in line with provisions of the Amended Electoral Act 2026, which bars serving political office holders from contesting elections.
The outgoing minister stressed that Nigeria’s power sector requires stronger central coordination to sustain ongoing gains, proposing the establishment of a Coordinating Minister for Energy to harmonise policy direction across electricity, gas, and related sectors.
His Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and Media Relations, Bolaji Tunji, confirmed the development, noting that Adelabu expressed gratitude to the President for the opportunity to serve, describing his tenure as a privilege.
Adelabu also traced his governorship ambition to 2016, during his time at the Central Bank of Nigeria, where he served as Deputy Governor.
Highlighting achievements during his tenure, he pointed to the implementation of the Electricity Act 2023, which decentralised the electricity market and boosted investor confidence. He added that peak power generation surpassed 6,000 megawatts, driven by the integration of the Zungeru Hydropower Plant and the rehabilitation of several thermal plants.
He further noted improvements in transmission capacity through upgrades under the Presidential Power Initiative, as well as progress in the distribution segment, including better regulatory oversight, improved revenue collection, and reductions in Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection (ATC&C) losses.
