Lagos to host first phase of initiative aimed at delivering stable electricity to Nigeria’s commercial and industrial hubs…
The Federal Government and the Lagos State Government have taken steps to advance the planned 24-hour electricity supply initiative, with the establishment of a joint technical committee to oversee the pilot phase in Lagos.
The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, announced the committee during a technical session with Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and officials of both governments in Lagos on Monday.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Power, the committee will tackle outstanding technical and operational issues and recommend the next steps towards delivering more stable and reliable electricity along the Lagos corridor.
The ministry said the “24/7 energy zones pilot”, approved by President Bola Tinubu, will begin in Lagos before expanding to the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano and Enugu-Port Harcourt corridors.
The initiative is designed to create a model for expanding dependable electricity supply to major commercial and industrial centres across the country.
The joint technical committee will be chaired by the Managing Director of the Nigerian Independent System Operator, NISO, while the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Energy will serve as co-chair.
Representatives from key institutions in the electricity sector will form part of the committee, including the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC; Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN; Rural Electrification Agency, REA; Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission, LASERC; Lagos Independent System Operator, LAISO; Lagos State Electricity Authority, LSEA; and the Office of the Minister of Power.
The committee will report to a higher-level steering committee to be chaired by Governor Sanwo-Olu, with Minister Tegbe serving as co-chair.
Other members of the steering committee will include the Special Adviser to the President on Power, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Power and the Lagos State Commissioner for Energy.
Speaking during the meeting, Sanwo-Olu reaffirmed Lagos State’s commitment to the project, while calling for practical measures capable of addressing the longstanding challenges in Nigeria’s electricity sector.
Tegbe, meanwhile, said the Federal Government had already opened discussions with electricity distribution companies operating in the state and secured commitments to take up additional power and supply customers along the Lagos corridor more consistently.
He also pledged to work with the Lagos government on four priority areas approved by the President: grid stabilisation, improving market liquidity, expanding the transmission and distribution grid, and harmonising governance and regulatory frameworks.
The Lagos pilot is expected to serve as an early test of the Federal Government’s broader plan to establish dedicated energy zones capable of providing more predictable electricity to businesses, industries and other major economic centres.
