Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, on Tuesday outlined major reforms undertaken in the last two years to revive the country’s electricity sector, saying recent progress has positioned Nigeria to support regional energy needs.
The minister spoke at the ongoing West Africa Energy Cooperation Summit hosted by Energy Net in Ghana.
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The gathering brings together top government officials, innovators, policymakers, industry leaders, and partners committed to shaping a resilient and sustainable energy future for the West African region and the African continent as a whole.
Key reforms
Mr Adelabu said the Tinubu administration had boosted installed generation capacity from 13,000 megawatts to over 14,000 megawatts within 24 months.
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He noted that the country currently generates from hydro and thermal plants, with plans underway to integrate utility-scale solar power, especially in northern Nigeria.
According to the minister, Nigeria now has excess generation capacity, producing only about 6,000 megawatts while capable of generating an additional 8,000 megawatts.
He said much of that surplus remains stranded due to limited domestic demand, even as the country exports only about 600 megawatts to Togo, Niger and the Benin Republic.
Mr Adelabu said the country’s vast solar potential could further strengthen energy security, complementing thermal plants concentrated in the Niger Delta and hydropower facilities in the North-central zone.
The minister described the transmission segment as historically weak, burdened by inefficiencies and ageing infrastructure across Nigeria’s 928,000-square-kilometre landmass.
He said many high-voltage lines—some more than 60 years old—urgently require upgrading.
He explained that the government has continued with the Presidential Power Initiative inherited from the previous administration, completing the supply, installation, commissioning and energising of 10 power transformers and 10 mobile substations nationwide. This, he said, has strengthened the grid.
Mr Adelabu also disclosed that the Transmission Company of Nigeria had been unbundled into two entities, the Transmission Service Provider and the Nigerian Independent System Operator, to improve efficiency.
These reforms, he said, have reduced grid collapses from “more than a dozen last year to only one so far this year, which was restored within two hours.”
Distribution and regional integration
The minister also announced that Phase One of the ongoing Presidential Power Initiative transmission expansion has begun and will deliver more than 25 new substations across the country. The initial work has already added over 700 megawatts to transmission capacity, raising the grid’s evacuation capability to about 8,500 megawatts, he said.
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“When Phase one is completed, an additional 7,000 megawatts of transmission capacity will be added, bringing total capacity to over 15,000 megawatts,” he said, adding that the upgrade prepares Nigeria for deeper integration with the West African power market.
On distribution, the minister said the 11 privately owned distribution companies have improved infrastructure, reduced metering gaps, and enhanced collections, contributing to better power supply for homes, offices, institutions and industries.
Mr Adelabu acknowledged that challenges remain, but said the sector is undergoing a transformation that will not stop until it can support Nigeria’s industrial ambitions and strengthen energy security across West Africa.
“Once this is achieved, the entire West African subregion will be assured of energy security, reliable supply and progress toward universal access,” he said.
“We firmly believe that this is the way forward.”
