President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Rilwan Lanre Babalola as Special Adviser on Power and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Power Sector Reset and Restoration, in a move aimed at accelerating reforms in Nigeria’s electricity sector.
In a statement signed by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga on Thursday, the presidency said the appointment reflects a renewed push to stabilise and reposition the power sector through focused execution and institutional coordination.
Babalola, a former Minister of Power, is expected to leverage his experience to address longstanding structural and operational challenges across the electricity value chain. His role will include leading a high-level taskforce operating under a direct presidential mandate to restore efficiency, discipline, and commercial viability in the sector.
As part of the restructuring, the presidency also redesignated the Office of the Special Adviser (Energy) to Special Adviser (Oil & Gas), a move aimed at clarifying responsibilities and reducing overlaps within the broader energy governance framework.
The newly established taskforce will focus on a comprehensive reset of the power sector, anchored on a “Performance Before Expansion” framework. Key priorities include reducing technical, commercial, and collection losses, improving tariff discipline, and strengthening revenue assurance to boost sector liquidity.
Other areas of focus include restoring grid stability and market integrity, promoting productive electricity use across critical sectors, and developing Electricity Growth Zones to support industrial expansion. The taskforce is also expected to reduce fiscal pressures on government and deliver a 90-day implementation blueprint.
President Tinubu said the appointment aligns with his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, expressing confidence that Babalola will bring urgency, discipline, and a results-driven approach to improving power supply and overall sector performance.
