Power Outage: Lagos To Boost Independent Power Market With 2,000MW

Lagos State Government has said that it is developing an independent electricity market to end persistent blackouts in the state. The state’s Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Biodun Ogunleye, who disclosed this during the 2026 media briefing held in Alausa, Ikeja, said the state had commenced aggressive reform toward strengthening regulation, expanding embedded generation and creating an investor-friendly electricity market to support a stable electricity supply.

Earlier, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said stable power supply remained critical to industrialisation and economic transformation. Ogunleye said Lagos was targeting an additional 2,000 megawatts through partnership with private investors and other market operators, while advancing a market structure designed to eliminate the single buyer model and encourage participation.

According to him, the state had updated its integrated resource plan and was implementing policies aligned with international electricity market standards. He said the state had strengthened licensing frameworks, consumer complaint mechanisms and enforcement procedures through the Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission, while also pursuing a 100 per cent metering policy.

Ogunleye, who also hinted that the state would soon announce floating power barges as part of plans to expand electricity capacity within six to 12 months, said the state, in partnership with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) and Rural Electrification Agency (REA), was expanding grid infrastructure, mini-grids and solar systems across underserved communities.

He, however, said that several transformers had been installed across the state, while damaged electricity infrastructure in Ilashe and neighbouring communities had been rehabilitated.

The commissioner also disclosed that Gbagada General Hospital was being connected directly to TCN to guarantee between 21 and 22 hours of electricity supply daily. He denied the reports that residents would require permits before installing solar systems. “For the umpteenth time, let me repeat, nobody in this state administration authorised anyone to say that if you want to install solar, you must get a Lagos State permit,” he said.

  

Categories: Energy And Power, Governance Today