By Oke Peter
The Federal Ministry of Power on Thursday, May 4, 2026, hosted a farewell gala dinner in honour of the outgoing Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, in recognition of his contributions to Nigeria’s power sector reforms during his tenure.
In his remarks, Adelabu expressed gratitude to the ministry’s staff, heads of agencies and parastatals, development partners, and other stakeholders for their support and collaboration throughout his stewardship.
The outgoing minister highlighted key achievements recorded under his leadership, including the enactment of the Electricity Act, 2023, which decentralized the power sector and enabled the establishment of 16 state electricity markets across the federation. He also referenced the development of the National Integrated Electricity Policy and Strategic Implementation Plan, describing it as the first comprehensive electricity policy framework produced in more than two decades.
Adelabu further cited other milestones such as the successful synchronization of Nigeria’s national grid with the West African Power Pool, record power generation peaks, and improved daily energy delivery achieved in March 2025.
He also noted the successful mobilization of funding for the Presidential Metering Initiative and the World Bank Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP), which facilitated the procurement of over 1.5 million electricity meters, with projections to reach 3 million meters by the end of the year.
•Chief Adebayo Adelabu 4th from the left next to the Permanent Secretary of Federal Ministry of Power Alhaji Mahmuda Mamman and other Heads of Agencies at the Farewell Gala organised by the Ministry to honour the former Minister of Power recently in Abuja.
According to him, improvements in sector revenue performance and the reduction of government liabilities have strengthened the sustainability outlook of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
While acknowledging the progress made, Adelabu said sustained commitment would be required to fully transform the sector. He urged stakeholders to maintain the momentum of ongoing reforms, uphold professionalism, and extend maximum cooperation to the incoming minister to consolidate the gains already achieved.
In his goodwill message, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Power, Alhaji Mamman Mahmuda, commended Adelabu for his visionary leadership, inclusive management style, and commitment to institutional reforms, which he said enhanced collaboration, operational efficiency, and service delivery within the sector.
Similarly, heads of agencies and parastatals under the ministry applauded Adelabu’s openness and professionalism, describing his tenure as remarkable for promoting innovation and strengthening institutional relationships.
Development partners including the World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB), European Union (EU), Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), French Development Agency, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), Norwegian Embassy, Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), and the Tony Blair Institute were also acknowledged for their continued support in advancing reforms in the power sector.
Delivering the vote of thanks, the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Mrs. Fatimah Hassan Haruna, expressed appreciation to the Permanent Secretary, development partners, management staff, and guests for contributing to the success of the send-forth ceremony. She commended Adelabu for his leadership and wished him success in his future endeavours.
