Ogun at 50: How Ogun State Under Gbenga Daniel Pioneered Electricity Distribution and the Lingering Mystery of Its Mini-Power Plants

As we reflect on the 50-year journey of our beloved Gateway State, one milestone stands distinctly apart; the golden years of Otunba Gbenga Daniel’s administration, writes Seunmanuel Faleye.

On October 4, 2010, Ogun State became the first state in the Nigerian federation to be granted an Electricity Distribution Licence by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC). This historic feat was achieved under the administration of Otunba Gbenga Daniel, FNSE, FAEng, a leader whose strategic vision for energy independence sought to permanently alter Ogun State’s developmental trajectory.

The licence, granted to Gateway Electricity Limited, a public-private partnership between the Ogun State Government and i3M Power Systems Ltd, was more than a permit; it was the cornerstone of a broader, integrated energy masterplan designed to liberate the state from the shackles of national grid instability.

While the distribution licence was the public crown jewel, it was part of a three-pronged energy strategy that made Ogun State uniquely positioned. It remains, to date, the only state in Nigeria to have secured three distinct electricity licenses: Generation, Distribution, and a unique “Embedded Generation” licence for captive power plants. This triadic approval underscored a comprehensive approach to power: generate it independently, distribute it efficiently, and embed it strategically for critical public utilities.

The Mini-Power Plants Project

The catalyst for this energy revolution was a crisis. Between 2005-2006, Abeokuta was plunged into a 10-day blackout, crippling water treatment plants and threatening public health. The OGD administration resolved that reliance on expensive, polluting diesel generators and an erratic national grid was untenable.

The response was the conception and procurement of 23 mini-power plants for urban and semi-urban water schemes across the state. This was not a rushed procurement but a meticulously planned project:

1. International Expertise & Due Diligence: Reputable consultants were engaged. State officials, including House Assembly members, inspected similar plants in Kano and Ikorodu that had run flawlessly for over 15 years.
2. Capacity Building: As part of the contract, 15 Ogun State civil servants (engineers and technicians) received factory training in Nnigbo, China, to ensure local ownership and long-term maintenance.
3. Integrated Design: The plants, powered by LPFO, gas, or diesel, were designed with excess capacity. The vision was for plants serving Arakanga, Ota, Papalanto, and others to also power surrounding neighborhoods and commercial estates on a tariff-paying basis, creating a sustainable model.
4. Complete Delivery: The government received ALL 23 complete mini-power plants, their accessories, two years of maintenance spares, and even a dedicated maintenance vehicle. A Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) quality certificate authenticated the shipment.

One of these plants, a 7MW facility at Oke-Mosan, was successfully commissioned. It has powered the Governor’s Office, State Secretariat, and adjoining facilities since 2011—proof of the project’s viability.

The Unresolved Mystery: “The Equipment Has Grown Wings”

Today, however, a shadow lies over this landmark achievement. As openly observed, the bulk of the mini-power plant equipment, displayed for years at the Arcade ground since 2011, has “grown wings and disappeared.” This is not a minor loss; it is the disappearance of a significant commonwealth, a gutting of the tangible assets from a visionary project.

The people of Ogun State have legitimate questions:

· Where are the 22 other procured plants meant for water schemes across the state?
· Where is the fleet of maintenance spares and the dedicated maintenance vehicle?
· What became of the state’s pioneering equity and strategic position in the Gateway Electricity Distribution Company?

The successful operation of the Oke-Mosan plant proves the technology worked. The disappearance of the others represents a staggering loss of potential, potential for stable water supply, for rural electrification, for increased IGR, and for a replicable model of sub-national energy sustainability.

As Ogun State anticipates a new administration, this issue transcends partisan lines. It is about accountability for public assets and the resuscitation of a visionary project. The trained engineers are likely still in civil service. The technical designs and agreements are in state archives. The NERC licences, that historic trinity, remain a potent framework.

The incoming administration has both a responsibility and a golden opportunity. It can:

1. Launch a transparent audit to trace the procurement, delivery, and current status of all 23 mini-power plants.
2. Revive the original framework, locating and installing the existing equipment to serve the water schemes and communities for which they were intended.
3. Reinvigorate the state’s role in the Gateway Electricity Distribution licence, leveraging it to catalyze investment and finally deliver the promised reliable power.

Otunba Gbenga Daniel’s administration laid a formidable, legally sound, and technically robust foundation for energy independence. That the physical pillars of this foundation have vanished is a puzzle the people deserve to see solved. The recovery and deployment of these assets would not just be a victory for accountability; it would be the long-overdue realization of a vision to power Ogun State’s future from within.

For visual reference of the procured equipment, the public is directed to the Facebook page “Ogun State: The OGD Years.”

Seunmanuel Faleye writes from Ijebu-Ode.

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