Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has formally resigned from office, with effect from April 30, 2026, to pursue his governorship ambition in Oyo State.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and Media Relations, Bolaji Tunji, Adelabu confirmed that his resignation letter was submitted to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The minister said his decision aligns with the provisions of the Amended Electoral Act 2026, which bars serving political office holders from contesting elections.

Adelabu also used his exit to propose the creation of a Coordinating Minister for Energy, aimed at driving integrated reforms across Nigeria’s power, gas and allied sectors. He stressed that sustaining recent gains in the power sector would require stronger policy coordination at the highest level, including a central authority to harmonise strategy and execution.

He expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for the opportunity to serve, describing his tenure as a privilege and a chance to contribute to national development.

In his three-page resignation letter, Adelabu highlighted key achievements under his leadership, notably the implementation of the Electricity Act 2023, which decentralised the electricity market and improved the investment climate.

He said peak power generation rose to over 6,000 megawatts, supported by the integration of the Zungeru Hydropower Plant and the rehabilitation of thermal power stations. Transmission capacity, he added, was strengthened through grid upgrades under the Presidential Power Initiative.

According to the minister, the distribution segment also recorded improvements, including enhanced regulatory oversight, better revenue collection and progress in reducing Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection (ATC&C) losses.

He noted that efforts to close Nigeria’s metering gap gained traction through the Presidential Metering Initiative and the World Bank-supported Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP).

On sector financing, Adelabu said tariff reforms and a ₦14 trillion debt restructuring programme boosted market revenues from ₦1 trillion in 2023 to ₦2.3 trillion in 2025, helping to restore investor confidence and improve the sector’s sustainability outlook.

Despite these gains, he acknowledged persistent challenges such as gas supply constraints, infrastructure vandalism and the need for full commercialisation of the electricity value chain.

To address these issues, Adelabu recommended a set of reforms, including the implementation of cost-reflective tariffs with targeted subsidies, recapitalisation of distribution companies, accelerated nationwide metering, sustained transmission investments and stricter regulatory enforcement.

Central to his recommendations, he said, is the establishment of a Coordinating Minister for Energy to provide strategic oversight and ensure synergy across power, gas, water resources and environmental sectors an approach he argued is critical to improving gas supply for thermal generation, optimising hydroelectric resources and scaling renewable energy deployment.

Tunji added that Adelabu remains committed to ensuring a smooth handover process while expressing gratitude to the President for the confidence and support extended to him throughout his tenure.