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Paul Akomolehin, South West
DAILY COURIER - Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, revealed on Sunday that he has been receiving threat calls from unknown forces within the power industry, expressing dissatisfaction with his policies. Despite these threats, Adelabu proudly celebrated the significant progress made during his one-year tenure as the Minister of Power.
Speaking on the live radio program ‘Political Circuit’ in Ibadan, Adelabu discussed the challenges he has faced from entrenched interests and cabals within the power sector. "There is no problem that is not insurmountable. There will be resistance, people stand in your way, saboteurs and others. Let me say this for the first time. I receive threats calls," Adelabu disclosed.
Adelabu emphasized that the sabotage attempts in the power sector, such as taking down a power transmission substation or blowing up a transmission power line, are organized crimes by those opposed to growth in the sector. Despite these challenges, he underscored his commitment to improving Nigeria's power infrastructure.
Reflecting on his achievements over the past year, Adelabu highlighted a significant milestone: the increase in electricity generation capacity. Nigeria had struggled with a generation capacity of 4,000MW for over 65 years. Under his leadership, the national grid capacity increased by over 1,000MW within a year, reaching a record 5,155MW on August 8, 2024.
“We have raised the electricity generated capacity from 4,000MW to 5,155MW recorded on the 8th of August, 2024. In the past, it took the country over 25 years to achieve 2,000MW of power and it took between 1984 and today to achieve an additional 2,000MW. When we resumed as minister, the electricity generated was 4,000MW and within a year, we have added over 1,000MW. Our target is to hit 6,000MW with the support of the Federal Government before the end of this year,” Adelabu explained.
Adelabu also detailed the comprehensive approach his ministry adopted to achieve these results. “We had a comprehensive diagnosis of the whole ministry with many organized retreats to find workable and practical solutions to the quagmire in the ministry," he said. He credited President Bola Tinubu for signing the Electricity Bill into law, which decentralized control and allowed states and private sectors to invest in the sector.
The minister listed several key policies implemented to support the sector, including cost-reflective tariffs, infrastructural development, and the adoption of renewable energy. He emphasized the importance of power asset security against saboteurs and the extension of power to remote areas.
For the continuity and sustainability of these achievements, Adelabu stressed the importance of citizens paying their electricity bills and avoiding energy theft. “We can also avoid energy theft; there are people who tap into electricity without paying for any tariff and more importantly, we must collectively protect the power infrastructure,” he concluded.
Adelabu’s first year as Minister of Power has been marked by mixed reactions as the nation still grapples with overcoming long-standing challenges in increasing Nigeria's electricity generation capacity coupled with organized resistance and threats from within the industry.
