Rilwan Lanre Babalola - Misplaced Pages

Nigerian politician

Rilwan Lanre Babalola

Federal Minister of Power
In office 17 December 2008 – 17 March 2010
Succeeded by	Goodluck Jonathan

Personal details
Born	1968

Rilwan Lanre Babalola Listen was appointed Nigerian Minister of Power on 17 December 2008 after a cabinet shuffle by President Umaru Yar'Adua. He left office in March 2010 when Acting President Goodluck Jonathan dissolved his cabinet.

Background

Babalola gained a PhD in Energy Economics from the University of Surrey, United Kingdom. He was an investment banker with Lead Bank in charge of the Public Sector and Infrastructure Department.

Babalola joined the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) in November 2001 as head of the Power Sector Team. Under a program assisted by USAID and later the World Bank, he was responsible for reform measures including setting up the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, and unbundling the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). After leaving the BPE, he was Deputy General Manager at the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission for a short period. He then joined the Economic Advisory Team of President Umar Yar'adua.

Minister of Power

Appointed Minister of Power in December 2008, Babalola faced a challenging job, with severe lack of power generation and transmission facilities, tangled regulations and a highly ambitious program to expand capacity.

In February 2009 Babalola suspended the Executive Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Ransome Owan, and six commissioners. They had been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on 3 February 2009 for allegedly misappropriating N1.54 billion in 2008. Babalola had initiated the action. In March 2009, he said President Yar'Adua has approved removal of the Executive Vice chairman of PHCN, Bello Suleiman, and two executive directors, due to disagreements about how the massive investment in the power industry by the Federal Government should be allocated.

In September 2009 Babalola argued that delivering 6000MW of generating capacity was highly ambitious but attainable. In February 2010 it was revealed that power supply had in fact fallen to 2,700 mW from 3,710 mW at the end of the previous year. Babalola blamed the problem on inadequate natural gas supply for the new generators. Failure to meet the target resulted in calls for his dismissal.

In January 2010 Babalola said that there would be a slow-down in the process of unbundling the Power Holding Company of Nigeria due to concerns about the viability of private power generation in the current tariff and regulatory structure, and the need to establish rules to ensure a level playing field in the competitive market. He announced plans that included construction of additional gas-fired generation stations near the source of supply in the Niger Delta, reducing vulnerability to pipeline disruptions, and major projects to build transmission and distribution facilities to eliminate bottlenecks in the grid. He also said the government was encouraging private-sector power generation projects.

Babalola left office on 17 March 2010 when Acting President Goodluck Jonathan dissolved his cabinet. When a new cabinet was formed on 6 April 2010, President Jonathan took personal responsibility for the Ministry of Power, and did not name a minister.

References

^ Nosike Ogbuenyi, Abimbola Akosile and Sufuyan Ojeifo (19 December 2008). "ar'Adua Renews His Mission". ThisDay. Retrieved 2010-04-17.
^ Daniel Idonor (17 March 2010). "Jonathan Sacks Ministers". Vanguard. Retrieved 2010-04-17.
^ KAZEEM JAMES (18 April 2009). "Nigeria Power Sector Needs Accountability Before Privatisation- Rilwan Babalola- Minister for Power, Nigeria". Africa Oil & Gas Report. Archived from the original on 4 August 2009. Retrieved 2010-04-17.
Ijeoma Nwogwugwu (29 December 2008). "Babalola Has to Hit the Ground Running". ThisDay. Retrieved 2010-04-17.
Hamisu Muhammad (8 March 2009). "How Corruption, Power Tussle Put 6,000mw Electricity Target at Risk". Daily Trust. Retrieved 2010-04-17.
Adeola Yusuf (4 March 2009). "Yar'Adua Sacks Sulaiman, PHCN MD". Daily Independent. Retrieved 2010-04-17.
"Between Usain Bolt And Dr. Rilwan Babalola". ThisDay. 12 September 2009. Retrieved 2010-04-17.
"Nigeria: Power outage to worsen as generation drops to 2,700 mw". Afrique en ligne. February 5, 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-02-12. Retrieved 2010-04-17.
Collins Olayinka (February 22, 2010). "NNPC, oil firms move to boost power supply". Nigerian Newspaper Online. Retrieved 2010-04-17.
Sopuruchi Onwuka (6 January 2010). "Power Tariff Correction Delays PHCN Privatization". Daily Champion. Retrieved 2010-04-17.
Sopuruchi Onwuka (13 January 2010). "Power Sector Crisis - FG Shifts Priority From Generation to Distribution". Daily Champion. Retrieved 2010-04-17.
George Oji (7 April 2010). "Jonathan Takes Over Ministry of Power". ThisDay. Retrieved 2010-04-17.

Cabinet of President Umaru Yar'Adua

The Cabinet of President Umaru Yar'Adua, which was formed on 26 July 2007, is shown below. The list shows Federal Ministers but excludes Ministers of State, who assist the Federal Ministers. The cabinet was dissolved on 17 March 2010 by Acting President Goodluck Jonathan, and a new cabinet sworn in on 6 April 2010.

Vice President	Goodluck Jonathan May 2009
Secretary	Baba Gana Kingibe (July 2007 – Sept 2008) Mahmud Yayale Ahmed Sept 2008
Agriculture & Water Resources	Abba Sayyadi Ruma (July 2007 – March 2010)
Aviation	Babatunde Omotoba (Dec 2008 – March 2010)
Commerce and Industry	Charles Ugwuh (July 2007 – Oct 2008) Achike Udenwa (December 2008 – March 2010)
Defence	Mahmud Yayale Ahmed (July 2007 – Sept 2008) Shettima Mustapha (Dec 2008 – July 2009) Godwin Abbe (July 2009 – March 2010)
Education	Igwe Aja-Nwachukwu (July 2007 – Dec 2008) Sam Egwu (Dec 2008 – March 2010)
Environment	Halima Tayo Alao (July 2007 – Oct 2008) John Odey (Dec 2008 – March 2010) (Reinstated April 2010) Chuka Odom 2007 -2009 Minister for state
Federal Capital Territory	Aliyu Modibbo Umar (July 2007 – Oct 2008) Adamu Aliero (Dec 2008 – March 2010) Chuka Odom 2009 -2010 Minister for state
Finance	Shamsuddeen Usman (July 2007 – Jan 2009) Mansur Muhtar (Jan 2009 – March 2010)
Foreign Affairs	Ojo Maduekwe (July 2007 – March 2010)
Health	Adenike Grange (July 2007 – March 2008) Babatunde Osotimehin (December 2008 – March 2010)
Information and Communication	John Odey (July 2007 – Dec 2008) Dora Akunyili (December 2008 – March 2010) (Reinstated April 2010)
Interior	Godwin Abbe (July 2007 – July 2009) Shettima Mustapha (July 2009 – March 2010)
Justice (Attorney General)	Michael Aondoakaa (July 2007 – February 2010) (Temporarily replaced by Adetokunbo Kayode)
Labour	Hassan Muhammed Lawal (July 2007 – Dec 2008) Adetokunbo Kayode (December 2008 – February 2010)

Mines and Steel Development	Sarafa Tunji Ishola (July 2007 – Oct 2008) Diezani Alison-Madueke (December 2008 – March 2010)
National Planning Commission	Mohammed Sanusi Daggash (July 2007 – Oct 2008) Shamsuddeen Usman (January 2009 – March 2010) (Reinstated April 2010)
Niger Delta	Ufot Ekaette (December 2008 – March 2010)
Petroleum	Rilwanu Lukman (December 2008 – February 2010)
Police Affairs	Ibrahim Lame (December 2008 – March 2010)
Power	Rilwan Lanre Babalola (December 2008 – March 2010)
Science & Technology	Grace Ekpiwhre (July 2007 – Dec 2008) Alhassan Bako Zaku (December 2008 – February 2010)
Sports	Abdulrahman Gimba (July 2007 – Oct 2008) Sani Ndanusa (December 2008 – March 2010)
Transport	Diezani Alison-Madueke (July 2007 – Dec 2008) Ibrahim Bio (December 2008 – March 2010)
Tourism, Culture and National Orientation	Adetokunbo Kayode (July 2007 – Dec 2008) Bello Jibrin Gada (December 2008 – March 2010)
Women Affairs	Saudatu Bungudu (July 2007 – Oct 2008) Salamatu Hussaini Suleiman (December 2008 – March 2010)
Works and Housing	Hassan Muhammed Lawal (December 2008 – March 2010)
Youth Development	Akinlabi Olasunkanmi (July 2007 – March 2010) (Reinstated April 2010)

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