Lagos goes first in Nigeria’s 24-hour electricity plan

The Federal Government and the Lagos State Government have formed two joint committees. Their job is to work towards 24 hours of electricity a day in Lagos.

They agreed on this on Monday at a meeting at Lagos House, Marina.

Power Minister Joseph Tegbe said Lagos was picked first because it uses 40% to 50% of all the electricity in Nigeria. If it works in Lagos, the plan can spread to other places.

“We came with pragmatic solutions,” Tegbe said. “Some of them are going to take action immediately for quick wins.” He said people in Lagos should soon start to see a difference in their power supply.

The first is the Joint Technical Working Committee. It will deal with the technical, legal and day-to-day problems that cut off power. It is made up of people from the Transmission Company of Nigeria, the Rural Electrification Agency, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, the Federal Ministry of Power, the Lagos Independent System Operator and the Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission.

The second is the Steering Committee. It will watch over the work and make sure the plan is carried out. Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu will lead it, and Tegbe will be his co-chairman.

Sanwo-Olu said the meeting was “very frank.” He said officials found “low-hanging fruits,” which means easy fixes that can improve power for customers quickly.

This is part of a Federal Government plan called the 24/7 Energy Zones. Lagos goes first. Later the plan will move to the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano area and the Enugu-Port Harcourt area.

The ministry says the plan will improve how electricity is made, moved and delivered, so that more of it reaches homes, shops and factories.

Lagos is also building its own power market under the Lagos State Electricity Law 2024. The state wants to make more of its own electricity and depend less on the national grid.

Seunmanuel Faleye is a brand and communications strategist. He is a covert writer and an overt creative head. He publishes Apple’s Bite International Magazine.