A major bottleneck in Nigeria's power sector has been the challenge of distributing generation to the last mile due to aging transmission infrastructure. Under Tegbe's leadership, a concerted effort is ongoing to replace these legacy assets. Notably, massive infrastructure upgrades have been carried out across key Lagos transmission substations in Apapa, Ijora, Alausa, and Lekki. These upgrades have added a combined 840MVA of new capacity equipped with modern automation and SCADA systems to the grid.
The upgrades have significantly enhanced the capacity of key transmission substations. For instance, the upgrade at Alausa added a new 100MVA transformer, increasing capacity to 205MVA and adding 80MW. At Lekki, two 60MVA transformers and nine new feeders raised capacity to 240MVA, adding about 192MW. Additionally, two new 100MVA transformers at Ijora increased capacity from 90MVA to 230MVA. A new Gas Insulated Substation at Apapa also raised capacity from 60MVA to 180MVA.
Further upgrades are planned for substations in Bauchi, Birni Kebbi, Kano, Benin, and Port Harcourt, which are expected to be commissioned in the next month. In addition to these infrastructure upgrades, a comprehensive technical audit of the national grid is underway. This audit will propel the overhaul of major energy corridors, specifically targeting the Lagos, Abuja-Kaduna-Kano, and Benin-Enugu-Port Harcourt axes.
The Ministry has also cleared over 300 long-abandoned containers from the ports, releasing critical equipment for immediate deployment by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to strengthen grid stability. The sector has seen significant milestones, with Nigeria's power sector recording a total available generation of 5,403.3 MW on September 22, according to the Daily Load Allocation Table issued by the National Control Centre (NCC) in Osogbo.
Tegbe's plan also includes improved stakeholder engagement and a strategic partnership with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Tunji Disu, to establish a specialized joint task force dedicated to safeguarding power infrastructure as critical national assets. His efforts have also led to a meaningful resolution of long-standing disputes over estimated billing and the establishment of a nine-member inter-agency committee to resolve operational bottlenecks and align sub-national electricity markets.
The Minister's focus on workforce development, fairness, and consumer protection guides his regulatory philosophy. Under his oversight, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has directed Distribution Companies (DisCos) to compensate Band A customers for supply shortfalls. Tangible operational gains are emerging, including the revival of the 450-Megawatt Alaoji Open Cycle Power Plant in Abia State and the expansion of electricity access through off-grid solar solutions.
Key points
- The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has implemented several reforms in the power sector, including infrastructure upgrades and improved stakeholder engagement.
- Nigeria's power sector recorded a total available generation of 5,403.3 MW on September 22.
- The Minister has initiated a strategic partnership with the EFCC and the Inspector-General of Police to safeguard power infrastructure.
