The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, has disclosed that Nigeria requires an annual investment of at least $10 billion over the next two decades to achieve a stable and functional electricity supply across the country.
Adelabu made this known on Tuesday during the commissioning of a 600kW Solar PV Power Plant at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna.
He described the figure as a critical projection to reverse decades of underinvestment and address structural challenges within the power sector.
“To achieve reliable and stable electricity in Nigeria, we need not less than $10 billion annually for the next ten to twenty years,” the Minister said.
“But spending this amount will only be meaningful if we address certain foundational bottlenecks.”
He pointed to the recent signing of the Electricity Act as a major policy breakthrough, enabling states and local governments to legally participate in power generation, distribution, and metering.
According to him, more than eleven states have already taken steps to utilize this decentralization.
The Minister also identified infrastructure deficit and a lack of sustained investment as lingering challenges, noting that the national transmission grid has suffered from neglect over the last six decades.
Furthermore, he reiterated the federal government’s commitment to closing the country’s over 50 percent metering gap, with an ambitious plan to install 18 million meters over the next five years under the Presidential Metering Initiative.
While addressing military officers at the NDA, Adelabu described the solar project as a symbol of the federal government’s push toward renewable energy and energy diversification.
“This project is part of our broader mandate to expand access to clean and reliable electricity and support critical sectors of national development, including education and security,” he said.
“Powering the NDA with renewable energy aligns with our vision for a secure, self-reliant, and energy-efficient Nigeria.”
He commended the Nigerian Armed Forces for their role in safeguarding power infrastructure across the country, noting the increased risk of vandalism and attacks on power sector personnel.
He, however, called for continued mutual respect in light of a recent incident involving Ikeja Electric staff and military personnel.p
“The power sector and the military are not on opposing sides. We are allies in the pursuit of national development,” Adelabu emphasized.