Stable electricity requires $10 billion annual investment plan – Adelabu

Stable electricity requires $10 billion annual investment plan – Adelabu

Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has highlighted the country’s need for an annual investment of $10 billion to effectively tackle its persistent electricity sector challenges. He described the financial commitment as substantial but achievable within the next two decades.

Speaking on Tuesday at the commissioning of the Phase 1 – 600kW Solar PV Power Plant at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna, Adelabu underscored the necessity of consistent funding and strategic long-term investment to transform Nigeria’s energy infrastructure and ensure a stable electricity supply.

He noted that past structural obstacles must first be addressed for such investments to yield meaningful results, emphasizing that achieving a reliable and sustainable power sector requires not only financial resources but also comprehensive reforms

According to the minister, “For us to achieve functional reliable and stable electricity in Nigeria we need not less than 10 billion dollars annually for the next ten to twenty years. But there are some foundational bottlenecks that we experienced in the past that need to be fixed for the spending of this money to have meaning.

“Number one is the legislative and policy foundation which this administration has achieved by signing energy bill into an act. This bill has achieved liberation and decentralization of the power sector to enable all levels of government federal State and local government to legally and morally play roles in the power sector to give their citizens at sub national levels. This has given autonomy to more than eleven States and more are still coming. They can now play roles in the power from generation to transmission to distribution and even Metering.

“Secondly, we talk about infrastructure deficit, then we talk about fixing infrastructure deficit which has piled up over the last 60 years due to lack of maintenance, lack of additional investment to revive our transmission grid”.

The minister also emphasised the need to bridge over 50 percent Metering gap which he said the Presidential initiative aims to achieve through 18 million meter installation in the next five years.

Earlier, while addressing military officers at the NDA, the Minister said, “I stand before you today at this significant occasion, the commissioning of the 600kW and 3MW Solar PV Power Plant here at the prestigious Nigerian Defence Academy.

“These projects, implemented by the Federal Ministry of Power and the Rural Electrification Agency not only underscores our commitment to improving electrification across key institutions in Nigeria but it is also part of our broader mandate to diversify our energy sources, expand access to clean and reliable electricity, and support critical sectors of our national development, including education and security.

“As an institution that combines academic rigour with military excellence, the Nigerian Defence Academy represents a strategic national asset that must be strengthened through sustainable infrastructure.

“Powering the Academy with renewable energy aligns with our vision for a secure, self-reliant, and energy-efficient Nigeria. It also reflects our commitment to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes accelerated national development through universal energy access.

“Importantly, this project also allows us to reflect on the enduring partnership between the Nigerian power sector and the Nigerian Armed Forces. I wish to specially commend and thank the military for its consistent support in protecting critical power infrastructure across the country. Without your steadfast commitment, our efforts to deliver stable and reliable electricity would be significantly constrained.

“Your role is becoming even more indispensable, given the rising cases of vandalism on critical power assets and attacks on power sector personnel across the country. As part of effort to address this problem, we urge the continued collaboration of the Nigerian Armed Forces in safeguarding the sector’s infrastructure and workforce.

“As we deepen this collaboration, it is essential that our partnership is rooted in mutual respect and understanding. Recent developments, such as the regrettable incident involving military personnel and staff of Ikeja Electric, are unfortunate and counterproductive. Such actions undermine the progress we all seek to achieve and should be avoided.

“The power sector and the military are not on opposing sides; we are allies in the pursuit of national development. Our shared objective is a Nigeria where sustainable electricity supply supports growth, security, and prosperity for all.

As we commission these power plants today, let it stand not only as a symbol of clean energy advancement but also as a sign of further cooperation between the Nigerian Power Sector and the Nigeria military,” the minister said.

In his welcome address, the NDA Commandant, Major General Abdul Ibrahim expressed appreciation and satisfaction to the initiative in the power sector, and assured synergy with the Ministry of Power.

Natasha in court to challenge her suspension as Senator

If I was led by sight, I wouldn’t have married my wife – Paul Enenche

Three Kebbi senators dump PDP for APC