Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Rilwan Lanre Babalola as Special Adviser on Power and Chairman of a newly created Presidential Task Force on Power Sector Reset and Restoration, in a move aimed at overhauling Nigeria’s struggling electricity industry.
The appointment was announced in a State House press release issued on Thursday and signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, the President also approved the redesignation of the Office of the Special Adviser (Energy) to Special Adviser (Oil & Gas) to streamline responsibilities and eliminate overlaps within the energy governance structure.
Onanuga noted that Babalola, a former Minister of Power, brings extensive experience and a deep understanding of the challenges across Nigeria’s electricity value chain.
“Mr Babalola, a former Minister for Power, brings deep sectoral expertise and a proven understanding of the structural and operational challenges within the electricity value chain,” the statement read.
The Presidency said the appointment reflects Tinubu’s resolve to implement a “decisive and results-driven reset” of the power sector.
The newly established task force, to be chaired by Babalola, will operate under a direct presidential mandate as a high-level intervention platform focused on restoring discipline, efficiency, and commercial viability in the sector, while strengthening coordination among relevant government institutions.
Outlining its responsibilities, the statement said, “The Taskforce’s mandate includes driving a comprehensive system reset of the electricity sector; implementing a ‘Performance Before Expansion’ framework; reducing technical, commercial, and collection losses; and strengthening cost discipline and tariff integrity.”
It added that the task force would also work to enhance revenue assurance and liquidity, restore grid discipline and market integrity, promote productive use of electricity across key sectors, and develop Electricity Growth Zones.
Further objectives include reducing fiscal exposure and delivering a 90-day implementation blueprint for reforms in the sector.
“The President expects Mr Babalola to bring urgency, discipline, and a strong execution focus to this assignment… to deliver measurable improvements in power supply and sector performance,” Onanuga stated.
