The Federal Government has committed to ensuring uninterrupted electricity supply to military bases nationwide as part of broader efforts to strengthen national security infrastructure. Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, announced this during a courtesy visit by the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar, to the Ministry of Power in Abuja.
In a statement released by the minister’s spokesman, Bolaji Tunji, Adelabu emphasized that stable electricity is critical to military operations and the protection of national assets. “President Bola Tinubu has issued a directive to prioritise energy supply to military installations. This is a national security mandate,” he affirmed.
The visit, part of the Nigerian Air Force’s strategic push to deepen inter-agency collaboration, focused on improving power supply reliability across all Air Force facilities. Adelabu cited legacy challenges such as poor metering and outdated infrastructure, but noted that efforts to modernise the system are already underway.
Notably, contracts initially awarded in 2003 for metering military locations have entered a revitalised phase. The minister revealed ongoing discussions with Distribution Companies (Discos) aimed at fast-tracking resolutions to energy supply instability across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
Highlighting recent progress, Adelabu pointed to the commissioning of a 3.1MW mini grid at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna, with similar energy solutions being deployed in Jaji and other military zones. These initiatives, he said, will extend to Nigerian Air Force bases, with long-term plans to integrate renewable energy sources for sustainable power supply.
“A reliable, clean and cost-efficient energy strategy is essential for our military. These are not commercial facilities—they are critical national security institutions and must be treated as such,” Adelabu stated.
To further strengthen energy resilience, the ministry plans to replace obsolete transformers and will soon host a national dialogue involving all 11 Discos and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to develop a holistic power strategy.
In response, Air Marshal Abubakar praised the ministry’s forward-looking reforms and called for urgent action to protect dedicated transmission lines from encroachment and illegal connections. He also requested support for resolving long-standing billing issues, particularly with Ikeja Disco.
The Chief of Air Staff affirmed the Air Force’s readiness to collaborate in protecting energy infrastructure and rolling out alternative energy projects across its bases.
Adelabu concluded that this strategic alignment marks a critical milestone in achieving both energy security and national operational readiness.
