Photo caption: Rilwan Lanre Babalola
By Emeka Ugwuanyi
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Mr Rilwan Lanre Babalola as Special Adviser to the President on Power and as Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Power Sector Reset and Restoration.
According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President has also redesignated the Office of the Special Adviser (Energy) as the Special Adviser (Oil & Gas) to clarify roles and avoid duplication of functions within the energy governance framework.
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.
His appointment underscores the President’s determination to undertake a decisive and results-driven reset of Nigeria’s power sector.
The Presidential Taskforce, which he heads, will operate under a direct presidential mandate as a high-level, delivery-focused vehicle to restore discipline, efficiency, and commercial viability across the power sector, while ensuring effective coordination among relevant ministries, departments, and agencies.
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 will also enhance revenue assurance and sector liquidity; restore grid discipline and market integrity; promote productive use of power across key sectors; develop Electricity Growth Zones; reduce fiscal exposure; and deliver a 90-day implementation blueprint.
The President expects Mr Babalola to bring urgency, discipline, and a strong execution focus to this assignment, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda, to deliver measurable improvements in power supply and sector performance.
