Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, announced significant improvements in the nation’s electricity supply on Sunday, revealing that over 40% of Nigerians now receive up to 20 hours of power daily.

He stated that the development, achieved within a year of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, represents a major milestone in the government’s efforts to revitalize the power sector.

This announcement comes amidst calls for Adelabu’s removal by popular social commentator and critic, Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan.

In a video posted on his Facebook page on Friday, VeryDarkMan urged President Bola Tinubu to retain the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in any potential cabinet reshuffle, instead advocating for Adelabu’s dismissal.

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VeryDarkMan had said, “I just saw one news that President Ahmed Bola Tinubu wants to reshuffle his cabinet, and I saw the Minister of Interior’s picture, and I am like, what is the honourable minister’s picture doing there? I can beat my chest to say that the minister is working.

“So, President Tinubu, whatever you do, do not change Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo. If there is somebody that needs to be swapped or reshuffled, it is the Minister of Power.”

Adelabu  attributed the progress to several groundbreaking measures implemented by the Ministry of Power, which has increased the country’s generation capacity to over 5,500 megawatts.

“Over 40% of customers today enjoy more than 20 hours of regular power supply across the nation. There’s been a significant improvement between when we took office and now, which we intend to build on,” Adelabu said in a statement.

The minister outlined how the improvements align with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, a policy framework aimed at boosting industrialization by ensuring consistent and reliable power supply.

He underscored the critical role electricity plays in economic development, pointing to its significance in the growth of developed nations.

“This is why we must achieve this for Nigeria as a country,” he said, highlighting the ministry’s long-term vision to ensure stable power for households, businesses, and industries.

According to Adelabu, a more reliable electricity supply will lead to increased productivity, job creation, and economic expansion.

Adelabu also reported that the nation’s installed generation capacity has increased from 13,000 megawatts to over 14,000 megawatts, thanks to the addition of new infrastructure, including the recently commissioned Zungeru hydroelectric power plant and upgrades to existing facilities.

“Our installed capacity is now over 14,000 megawatts due to the newly commissioned Zungeru plant and improvements in several existing power plants,” he said.

Among the key reforms driving these improvements, Adelabu pointed to the newly signed Electricity Act of 2023, which decentralizes and liberalizes the power sector, and a comprehensive policy framework designed to boost sector performance and financial liquidity.

He also credited infrastructure investments, including the installation of transformers and mobile substations, as crucial to the recent gains.

“The electricity we enjoy today is no accident. It’s the result of all the infrastructure upgrades we’ve implemented,” he stated.

To further close Nigeria’s metering gap, Adelabu unveiled the Presidential Metering Initiative, which aims to install 10 million meters within the next five years. The initiative is being supported by the World Bank through its Distribution Recovery Program.

Looking ahead, the minister expressed optimism about the future of Nigeria’s power sector.

“Ultimately, a larger proportion of our population will have access to electricity, industries will benefit from stable supply, and this will increase production and create more jobs for our people,” he concluded.

Vice President, Kashim Shettima returned to Abuja on Sunday after representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

The Vice President’s participation in the high-profile global event focused on rallying support for the reform of the United Nations Security Council, a move Nigeria has long advocated.

In a statement released by his spokesperson, Stanley Nkwocha on Sunday, it was confirmed that Shettima had called on world leaders to accelerate efforts to make the Security Council more inclusive by expanding its permanent and non-permanent membership.

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He highlighted the urgent need for permanent seats for Nigeria and other African nations, arguing that the current structure no longer reflects the realities of a changing world.

“Some permanent members of the United Nations Security Council have offered encouraging, if tentative, indications of support on the issue of reform. We welcome the shift in tone and urge an acceleration in the momentum of this process,” Shettima said in his address to world leaders.

The Vice President further stressed that the expansion of the Security Council was essential for the UN to remain relevant, noting that it must reflect the diversity and plurality of today’s global landscape.

He also expressed full support for UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ ongoing efforts to promote Security Council reforms.

Shettima described the UN as a beacon of multilateralism, underscoring its role in promoting peace, sustainable development, and human rights.

He called for renewed global cooperation to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges and ensure the inclusiveness of international decision-making.

The 79th session of the UN General Assembly gathered leaders from across the world to discuss major global issues, including security, climate change, and sustainable development.

Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde has urged Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, not to “set Oyo State on fire.”

This plea follows reports from Vanguard that Wike threatened to instigate a political crisis in any state where PDP governors support Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Speaking at the Ijaw World Congress reception held in Port Harcourt on Saturday in Wike’s honor, Makinde implored the FCT minister not to escalate tensions in Oyo State.

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He also commended Wike for his contributions to the infrastructure development of Rivers State, acknowledging the positive impact he has made for his people.

According to him, ” I came to Oyo to identify with my brother and the celebrant of today(Nyesome Wike). When I showed up in Rivers yesterday (Friday) I told him that I brought a peace offering because he has been boasting that he would put fire in some states. I told him please, don’t set fire in Oyo State.

“Let me say on behalf of other governor colleagues and past governors here that you have done well for your people and since I came I have seen projects that were done during your eight years tenure as governor.”