Lagos Targets 3,500MW, 24-Hour Power Supply

The Lagos State Government says it is intensifying efforts to provide round-the-clock electricity, with plans to raise available power supply to about 3,500 megawatts.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu disclosed this at a strategic power town hall at Lagos House, Marina, where government officials and other stakeholders discussed measures to address the state’s electricity challenges.

Sanwo-Olu said achieving reliable power will require improvements across generation, transmission and distribution, as well as wider deployment of smart meters and better management of electricity data and revenue.

Officials at the meeting noted that Lagos needs more than 6,000 megawatts to meet demand but currently receives significantly less from the national grid. They identified limited gas supply, inadequate generation, transmission and distribution constraints, as well as metering gaps, among the major obstacles.

The meeting also considered the proposed Clean Lagos Electricity Market, which is expected to encourage private investment and create a more efficient electricity market through direct contracting, open access and improved payment systems.

The state is also considering embedded power generation to reduce its dependence on the national grid.

Authorities identified electricity theft, vandalism and unpaid bills as additional problems affecting the sector, while stressing that consumers should only pay for electricity actually supplied.

Stakeholders agreed on measurable steps to improve power delivery, with progress expected to be reviewed periodically as Lagos works towards more reliable and eventually 24-hour electricity supply.