Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has resigned from his cabinet position to focus on his campaign for the Oyo State governorship, stepping down amid ongoing nationwide electricity shortages.
In a letter dated March 26, 2026, addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Adelabu formally tendered his resignation, citing the need to dedicate his time and resources to his political ambition.
He also expressed gratitude to the president for the opportunity to serve.
The resignation became public on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, after the letter circulated online and was reported by national media outlets. No separate statement was issued by the presidency.
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Adelabu leaves office as Nigeria continues to grapple with persistent power outages and grid failures, caused by factors including gas supply constraints, transmission system fragility, and underinvestment in generation capacity.
Before his ministerial role, Adelabu served as Deputy Governor (Operations) at the Central Bank of Nigeria and has long been active in Oyo State politics.
His resignation also complies with the Electoral Act 2026, which requires federal appointees intending to contest elective office to step down ahead of party primaries for the 2027 elections.
Adelabu’s departure underscores both the political pressures surrounding the power sector and the high-stakes contest for the Oyo State governorship in the lead-up to the 2027 elections.