FG to Train of 1,200 Engineers to Replace Ageing Workforce

The Minister of Power, Chief  Adebayo Adelabu, has unveiled what he described as a 10-year rescue plan to revive the manpower shortage in the  power sector, mandating the training of 1,200 electrical engineers within the next decade.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the management retreat of the Ministry of Power, themed: ‘Development of Ministerial Performance Management System (MPMS) for 2025’,   in Abuja, the minister noted that this aligns with the  “Nigeria First” policy. 

Adelabu warned that the President Bola Tinubu’s administration would not tolerate excuses in delivering stable power to households and businesses, calling the sector’s revival “non-negotiable” for economic survival.  

The Minister’s declaration followed Monday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval of a  roadmap to reverse decades of infrastructure decay in the country, despite the country’s vast energy resources.

“We cannot keep outsourcing our future. In 10 years, we must replace the lost generation of engineers. Mr. President yesterday touched on the importance of the local content and an Executive Order is being drafted and will soon  be released. 

“It emphasises the need to look inward in everything we do, particularly in contract awards. We must key into this in our local capacity building, in our resources and personnel. We must be intentional in our local capacity development.

“There is a dearth of good hands in the sector. Steps must be taken to ensure that this trend is reversed. Within the next 10 years, we must have at least 1,200 electrical engineers trained in the sector, to replace the lost professionals,” he stated.

Adelabu acknowledged ‘recent gains’ in grid stability since January 2025 but demanded faster progress, revealing that all ministry performance will now face quarterly scrutiny by the presidential monitoring unit.

“I am proud of the achievements that we have recorded in the past one and half years. Achievements in generation, in transmission and in distribution. Since January this year to date, there has been stability, particularly in the grid,” he stressed.

The retreat also focused on finalising the ministry’s 2025 work plan, with the minister directing ministry officials to abandon “theories” for actionable fixes and calling for “brutal honesty” about systemic failures.

He also tasked them to use the opportunity of the retreat to speak frankly about issues concerning the sector.