POWER MINISTER REVEALS NIGERIA NEEDS $10 BILLION ANNUALLY FOR TWO DECADES TO FIX ELECTRICITY SECTOR
Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has warned that the country must invest at least $10 billion annually over the next 10 to 20 years to overcome its deep-rooted electricity supply problems. Speaking at the commissioning of a 600kW and 3MW Solar PV Power Plant at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna, Adelabu identified years of policy inconsistencies, underinvestment, and infrastructure decay as major barriers to energy reliability.
He noted that the recent signing of the Energy Bill has paved the way for decentralisation, enabling states and local governments to participate in electricity generation and distribution. Eleven states have already taken advantage of this legislative shift, with more expected to follow.
Adelabu also announced that the federal government’s Presidential Metering Initiative would close the country’s 50% metering gap by deploying 18 million meters within five years. The new solar plants at the NDA are part of broader efforts by the Rural Electrification Agency to integrate renewable energy into Nigeria’s power mix, while supporting key institutions like education and security.
“The NDA is a national treasure. Powering it with solar is a declaration of intent: that Nigeria is serious about energy security,” he said.
