Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has announced that the state is working to significantly increase its electricity supply to over 3,000 megawatts by March 2027. Currently, the state's electricity supply is below 1,000 megawatts. This ambitious target was disclosed at the Fourth Lagos Business School Africa Energy Conference (AEC 2026), held in Lagos. The conference had the theme, “Securing Nigeria’s Energy Future: Policy Reform, Capital Mobilization, and Pathways to a Sustainable Power and Energy Market.”
To achieve the target, the state plans to mobilize an additional 2,000 megawatts of electricity through various channels. These channels include national grid resources, independent power projects, energy hubs, power barges, energy traders, and embedded generation supply. The governor, represented by his deputy, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, emphasized that achieving this target will require coordinated improvements across the entire electricity value chain. This includes generation, transmission, distribution, gas supply, and metering.
A seven-point action plan has been outlined to achieve the target. The plan focuses on making the Lagos Electricity Market fully functional, increasing electricity generation, and strengthening distribution capacity. Other areas of focus include reinforcing transmission infrastructure, improving networks and metering, strengthening gas-to-power arrangements, and enhancing information technology and market visibility. These steps are crucial for ensuring a reliable and sustainable power supply.
The state is working to strengthen its transmission network by improving substations and distribution feeders. Expanding metering coverage is also a priority to reduce estimated billing and improve service delivery. The government aims to establish clear contractual obligations and strengthen coordination among electricity market operators and regulators. This will help create a commercially viable environment capable of attracting private investment.
Reliable gas supply to power plants is essential for achieving the target. The state is also deploying digital systems, including Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), and the Lagos Electricity Intelligence Platform. These systems will improve monitoring, accountability, and transparency in the electricity sector. This is a significant step towards ensuring efficient and reliable power supply.
Lagos has made progress in renewable energy interventions. About 42,000 of the approximately 50,000 streetlights earmarked for solarization have been completed. Additionally, solarization projects in 175 public schools have been completed, with another 100 ongoing. These initiatives demonstrate the state's commitment to renewable energy and reducing its carbon footprint.
The governor called on investors, financial institutions, energy operators, and development partners to collaborate with the state in delivering the plan. He emphasized that reliable electricity is essential for industrial growth, job creation, business competitiveness, and improved living standards. The focus is now on disciplined implementation and measurable results to ensure the success of the plan.
Key points
- Lagos aims to increase electricity supply to over 3,000 megawatts by March 2027.
- The state plans to mobilize an additional 2,000 megawatts through various channels.
- A seven-point action plan has been outlined to achieve the target, focusing on improvements across the electricity value chain.
