Adelabu orders power sector overhaul, wants 1,200 engineers trained to replace ageing workforce

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has unveiled an urgent 10-year rescue plan to address the manpower shortage in Nigeria’s electricity sector. The plan mandates the training of no fewer than 1,200 electrical engineers within the next decade and prioritises local contractors under a strict “Nigeria First” procurement policy.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Ministry of Power’s management retreat, themed “Development of Ministerial Performance Management System (MPMS) for 2025”, held in Abuja on Tuesday, Adelabu warned ministry staff that President Bola Tinubu’s administration would not tolerate excuses in the quest to deliver stable power to households and businesses. He described the revival of the power sector as “non-negotiable” for Nigeria’s economic survival.

The Minister’s remarks followed Monday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval of a comprehensive roadmap aimed at reversing decades of infrastructure decay, despite the country’s abundant energy resources.

An executive order compelling ministries and agencies to award contracts to local firms and invest in home-grown expertise is expected to be issued by the President shortly.

“We cannot keep outsourcing our future. In ten years, we must replace the lost generation of engineers,” Adelabu declared. “Mr President, just yesterday, emphasised the importance of local content. An executive order is currently being drafted and will soon be released. It underscores the need to look inward in all our activities, especially in contract awards. We must embrace this approach in capacity building, in resource development, and in our personnel. We must be intentional about local capacity development.”

Highlighting the acute shortage of skilled professionals, the Minister stated, “There is a dearth of capable hands in the sector. We must take concrete steps to reverse this trend. Within the next decade, we must have trained at least 1,200 electrical engineers to replace the professionals we have lost. Let us be honest with ourselves during this retreat so that we can achieve meaningful outcomes. Let us focus on practical solutions rather than theoretical discussions.”

While acknowledging recent improvements in grid stability since January 2025, Adelabu called for faster progress. He announced that the ministry’s performance would henceforth be subject to quarterly scrutiny by the Presidential Monitoring Unit.

“When you’re performing, don’t be distracted by negativity—show Nigerians the evidence,” he urged staff, while also admitting that the public remains sceptical after years of unfulfilled promises.

“In line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we have been given a clear mandate to deliver results. These results are being monitored, evaluated, and reported quarterly by the Central Delivery Coordination Unit to the President. As a ministry, we must not only align with this vision—we must lead the way. The success of our sector is crucial to the success of every other segment of the economy,” he added.

“I am proud of the achievements recorded over the past one and a half years—progress in generation, transmission, and distribution. Since January, we’ve seen notable grid stability. This has been made possible through teamwork and consistency in our efforts to fulfil our mandate. When you’re performing, stay focused and do not be swayed by negative commentary,” he said, urging staff to consistently showcase their achievements to the public.

The retreat also aimed to finalise the ministry’s 2025 work plan. The Minister directed officials to abandon abstract theories in favour of actionable solutions and called for “brutal honesty” in assessing the sector’s systemic failures.

“It is truly a pleasure to be here with all of you today. I thank each of you for the dedication and relentless work you bring to the table every day. Your efforts have ensured consistent progress towards sustainability in our sector, despite the many challenges we face.

“This retreat is significant because it provides us with an opportunity to pause, reflect, and come together not only to assess our past performance but to clearly define and be intentional about our future direction. The focus of the retreat is performance management and the harmonisation of our 2025 work plan, which lies at the heart of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Our objective is to ensure that Nigerians have access to a stable and reliable electricity supply that can drive economic development.”

Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Mahmuda Mamman, stressed the urgency of the reforms and linked staff promotions to measurable outcomes. He warned that “citizens will judge us by their meter readings, not our PowerPoint slides.”

He urged staff to use the retreat as a platform to improve strategic planning and performance. Emphasising the need for accountability and continuous capacity building, he described the retreat as one that promotes a performance-driven culture, placing citizens at the centre of the ministry’s goals. He also commended the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation for organising the event.

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