President Bola Tinubu Nominates Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe as New Minister of Power
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated Mr. Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe as the new Minister of Power, following the resignation of Chief Adebayo Adelabu from the position.
The nomination was announced today in an official statement from the State House, signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga. Tegbe’s name has been forwarded to the Senate for screening and confirmation in accordance with constitutional requirements.
Chief Adelabu tendered his resignation letter dated April 22, 2026, which takes effect today, April 30. In the letter addressed to the President through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, he cited his intention to pursue a gubernatorial ambition in Oyo State as the reason for stepping down. He expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for the opportunity to serve and emphasised the need for a smooth handover.
Adelabu’s tenure as Minister of Power was marked by ambitious reform efforts amid persistent sector challenges, including gas supply constraints, ageing transmission infrastructure, and fluctuating generation levels that have often hovered between 3,000 and 4,000 megawatts in recent periods. He had publicly committed to rapid improvements and advanced aspects of the Presidential Power Initiative, such as the installation of transformers and mobile substations, while advocating for better coordination across the energy value chain.
Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, a native of Ibadan in Oyo State, brings a robust background in engineering, finance, strategy, and public sector reform to the critical portfolio. Born on March 21, 1966, he graduated with a First Class degree in Civil Engineering from the Obafemi Awolowo University (formerly University of Ife) in 1988, where he was a national scholar and award-winning student. He holds additional qualifications including a Master of Public Administration, and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA), Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (FCIT), and Certified in Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT). He has trained at institutions such as Lagos Business School, INSEAD, Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and Harvard Business School.
Tegbe enjoyed a distinguished career spanning over 35 years, rising to become a Senior Partner and Head of Technology Advisory Services and Markets at KPMG Professional Services in Nigeria. His expertise covers institutional transformation, organisational reform, strategy formulation, blueprint development, project management, ERP/IT implementations, and advisory services across sectors including oil and gas, telecommunications, financial services, manufacturing, and government. He previously served as lead adviser on major national reforms and played a key role in turnaround strategies for entities like the Odu’a Group. Until his retirement from KPMG in 2023, he was widely regarded for delivering value-driven solutions in complex public and private sector environments.
More recently, President Tinubu appointed him as Director-General and Global Liaison of the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP), where he has been tasked with advancing bilateral cooperation in infrastructure, power, rail, and industrial development following high-level agreements reached during the President’s visit to China.
Analysts view Tegbe’s nomination as a strategic move to inject technical depth, fiscal discipline, and reform-oriented leadership into the power sector at a time when Nigeria continues to grapple with inadequate and unreliable electricity supply — a major bottleneck to industrialisation, economic growth, and improved quality of life. The incoming minister is expected to build on ongoing Electricity Act 2023 reforms while addressing financing hurdles, transmission bottlenecks, and the need for sustainable generation capacity.
The Senate is expected to commence screening of the nominee in the coming days. President Tinubu has urged a swift but rigorous confirmation process to ensure seamless leadership transition in this pivotal ministry.
This development comes as the administration maintains focus on delivering “Renewed Hope” through improved energy security and economic competitiveness. Further details on Tegbe’s strategic priorities for the sector are anticipated once he assumes office.
