President Bola Tinubu has nominated Joseph Tegbe as Minister of Power, in a move that follows the resignation of former minister Adebayo Adelabu, who stepped down to pursue a governorship ambition in Oyo State ahead of the 2027 elections.
The announcement was made on Thursday through a statement issued by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, who confirmed that the nomination has already been transmitted to the Senate for screening and confirmation in line with constitutional requirements.
According to the statement, “The nomination has been transmitted to the Senate for screening and confirmation in accordance with the Constitution.”
Tegbe, like his predecessor, hails from Oyo State. He is widely regarded as a fiscal and economic reform expert with over 35 years of professional experience spanning both the public and private sectors.
Before his nomination, he served as a Senior Partner and Head of Advisory Services at KPMG Africa, where he led major initiatives focused on fiscal policy reform, institutional restructuring, and governance improvement across several African economies.
He has also been involved in advising government institutions and private organisations on issues relating to regulatory reforms, investment frameworks, and strategic economic planning.
Tegbe previously held the position of Director-General and Global Liaison for the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP), where he worked on strengthening bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and China in areas of development financing and infrastructure collaboration.
His background also includes engagements within Nigeria’s power sector, particularly in regulatory and institutional reforms involving agencies such as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET).
The presidency expressed confidence that his appointment would accelerate ongoing reforms in the energy sector, especially efforts aimed at improving electricity supply, stabilising the national grid, and attracting long-term investment.
“The President expects the Minister-Designate, upon confirmation, to bring his extensive expertise to bear to advance critical reforms and deliver improved outcomes for Nigerians in the power sector,” the statement added.
Tegbe’s nomination comes at a time when Nigeria continues to grapple with persistent challenges in electricity generation and distribution, including repeated national grid collapses and widespread concerns over unreliable power supply.
If confirmed by the Senate, he is expected to take over the ministry at a critical moment in the government’s broader economic reform agenda under the Renewed Hope programme.
