The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has stated that Nigeria needs \$10 billion annually over the next 10 to 20 years to resolve its ongoing power sector challenges.
Adelabu made this known on Tuesday, May 13, during the commissioning of Phase 1 of a 600kW Solar PV power plant at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna.
“To achieve functional, reliable, and stable electricity in Nigeria, we need no less than \$10 billion annually for the next ten to twenty years,” he said. “However, for such an investment to be meaningful, we must first address foundational bottlenecks that have existed in the past.”
He noted that the first major step taken was the signing of the Energy Bill into law, which has decentralised the power sector and enabled federal, state, and local governments to participate legally and morally. This move has granted autonomy to over eleven states, with more expected to join, allowing them to take part in generation, transmission, distribution, and metering.
He further pointed out the significant infrastructure deficit built up over the past 60 years, largely due to a lack of maintenance and insufficient investments in the national transmission grid.
Adelabu also highlighted the importance of closing Nigeria’s over 50 per cent metering gap. He said the Presidential Initiative aims to tackle this through the installation of 18 million meters within the next five years.
Earlier in his remarks to military officers at the NDA, Adelabu described the commissioning of the 600kW and upcoming 3MW Solar PV power plants as a major step in strengthening Nigeria’s power infrastructure.
“These projects, carried out by the Federal Ministry of Power and the Rural Electrification Agency, demonstrate our dedication to diversifying energy sources, expanding clean electricity access, and supporting vital national sectors like education and security,” he said.
He praised the NDA as a strategic national institution that deserves sustainable infrastructure, stating that powering it with renewable energy aligns with the vision of a secure and energy-efficient Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The Minister commended the Nigerian Armed Forces for their ongoing efforts in protecting power infrastructure, especially in light of increasing incidents of vandalism and attacks on power sector personnel.
While calling for continued military cooperation, Adelabu addressed recent tensions between military personnel and electricity workers, describing such incidents as “regrettable and counterproductive.”
“The power sector and the military are not adversaries—we are allies working together for national development,” he said. “As we commission these plants today, let it serve as both a symbol of clean energy progress and deeper collaboration between the power sector and the Armed Forces.”
