The Federal Government and the Lagos State Government have established two joint committees to tackle challenges affecting electricity supply and work towards achieving 24-hour power in the state.
The initiative was announced on Monday during a Ministerial Implementation Retreat on the Clean Lagos Electricity Market held at Lagos House, Marina.
Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, said Lagos was chosen as the pilot state because it accounts for between 40 and 50 per cent of Nigeria’s electricity demand.
He said the government was moving beyond discussions to implement practical measures that could improve electricity supply.
“We came with pragmatic solutions. Some of them are going to take action immediately — quick wins. I believe that Nigerians will start to see some differences in the Lagos axis as far as power supply is actually manifested,” Tegbe said.
A Joint Technical Working Committee was constituted to address technical, regulatory and operational challenges in the electricity market.
The committee comprises representatives of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, Rural Electrification Agency, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Federal Ministry of Power, Lagos Independent System Operator and Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission.
It will be co-chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Energy and the Managing Director of the Lagos Independent System Operator.
A separate Steering Committee was also established to oversee the implementation of the decisions reached at the retreat.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu will chair the committee, while Tegbe will serve as co-chairman.
Other members include the Special Adviser to the President on Power, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Power and the Lagos State Commissioner for Energy, Biodun Ogunleye.
The committees will initially focus on Lagos, with plans to extend the intervention to other major economic corridors, including the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano and Enugu-Port Harcourt corridors.
The move comes as Lagos continues efforts to develop a more decentralised electricity market and reduce its reliance on the national grid.
The Lagos State Electricity Law 2024 provides the legal framework for the state’s electricity market, covering areas including generation, distribution, supply, transmission, system operation and electricity trading.
The state has also entered into power purchase agreements with private power companies to increase electricity available to critical infrastructure and other consumers.
Speaking at the retreat, Sanwo-Olu described the discussions as “very frank,” saying officials had identified “low-hanging fruits” that could lead to visible improvements in electricity supply.
He said the Steering Committee would help speed up the implementation of the decisions reached during the meeting.
The success of the initiative will ultimately depend on whether the committees can translate the government’s plans into increased generation, improved distribution infrastructure and more reliable electricity for residents and businesses across Lagos.
