President Bola Tinubu has nominated Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe as Minister of Power, subject to Senate confirmation, in a move the presidency says is aimed at sustaining reforms in Nigeria’s troubled electricity sector. The nomination was formally transmitted to the Senate on April 30, according to an official State House statement.
Tegbe’s nomination follows the resignation of former Power Minister Adebayo Adelabu, who stepped down to pursue his governorship ambition in Oyo State ahead of the 2027 election cycle, according to multiple Nigerian media reports citing the presidency.
In announcing the appointment, the presidency described Tegbe as a fiscal and economic reform expert with more than 35 years of experience across the public and private sectors. It said he previously served as Senior Partner and Head of Advisory Services at KPMG Africa, where he worked on fiscal policy reform, institutional transformation and governance, and advised government agencies and private sector organisations on strategic reforms, regulation and investment structuring.
Tegbe currently serves as Director-General and Global Liaison for the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership, a body that coordinates development cooperation between Nigeria and China and aligns projects with the government’s broader economic agenda. The presidency also said he has prior experience in the power sector, particularly in regulatory and institutional reform involving agencies such as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company.
If confirmed, Tegbe will take over a ministry facing persistent grid instability, inadequate generation and transmission capacity, and chronic investor confidence concerns. Nigerian media reports quoting the presidency said his appointment is expected to reinforce ongoing efforts to improve grid stability and attract sustainable investment into the power sector.
His nomination now shifts attention to the Senate, where lawmakers are expected to screen him in the coming days as Tinubu seeks fresh momentum in one of the most politically sensitive sectors of his administration.
