- He said this during an interview on Fresh FM’s Political Circuit program
Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has disclosed that he has been receiving threats from unknown individuals who are opposed to ongoing reforms in the country’s electricity sector.
During an interview on Fresh FM’s Political Circuit program, Adelabu claimed that organized groups, which he described as “cabals and cartels,” are behind recent sabotage attempts, including the bombing of power transmission substations and the deliberate destruction of power lines.
Adelabu, a former governorship candidate in Oyo State, said he would not be intimidated, stressing that previous ministers may have been bullied out of pushing for critical changes. He labeled the attacks as “organized crime” intended to derail the progress being made in the sector.
Despite the challenges, Adelabu highlighted significant improvements during his time in office. He noted that electricity generation had increased from 4,000 megawatts (MW) to over 5,000MW within a year, with plans to reach 6,000MW by the end of the year.
The minister credited the success to his development strategy, emphasizing that while it took the country decades to achieve a 2,000MW increase, his administration has added over 1,000MW in a short span.
Adelabu said, “We have raised generation capacity from 4,000MW to 5,155MW as of August 8, 2024. In the past, it took over 25 years to achieve a 2,000MW increase. Our target is to reach 6,000MW with federal government support by year-end.”
The minister remains determined, stating that sabotage and threats will not hinder the ongoing reforms in the power sector.