FG, Lagos state partner to deliver 24/7 power as energy zones pilot begins
The Federal Government and the Lagos State Government have agreed to work together to deliver stable and reliable electricity to the Lagos corridor under the 24/7 Energy Zones pilot approved by President Bola Tinubu.
The agreement was reached during a high-level technical session held at Lagos House, Marina, between the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, and senior officials of the Ministry of Power and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The 24/7 Energy Zones pilot will commence in Lagos before expanding to the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano and Enugu-Port Harcourt corridors, with the aim of creating a model that can be scaled across Nigeria’s major commercial and industrial hubs.
Tegbe said the Ministry had engaged the electricity distribution companies and secured commitments to increase power offtake and provide more stable and reliable electricity to customers across the Lagos corridor.
He also expressed the Ministry’s readiness to collaborate with Lagos State on the four ministerial priority areas approved by the President: grid stabilisation, market liquidity, grid expansion, and governance and regulatory harmonisation.
Governor Sanwo-Olu commended the federal delegation for its commitment to addressing challenges in the electricity sector. He noted that, since assuming office as Minister of Power, Tegbe had demonstrated a willingness to engage with stakeholders and tackle longstanding issues in the sector.
Sanwo-Olu said Lagos State was equally committed to the initiative and stressed the need for pragmatic solutions that would make the electricity market more functional for Nigerians, particularly Lagos residents. He called for a bankable, collaborative and competitive electricity market in Lagos.
To translate the commitments into concrete action, Tegbe announced the establishment of a Joint Technical Committee to resolve outstanding technical and regulatory issues and recommend clear next steps.
The committee will be chaired by the Managing Director of the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) and co-chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Energy. Its membership will include representatives of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission (LASERC), Lagos Independent System Operator (LAISO), Lagos State Electricity Authority (LSEA), and the Office of the Minister of Power.
The Joint Technical Committee will report to a Steering Committee chaired by the Governor of Lagos State and co-chaired by the Minister of Power. Other members will 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.
Also present at the meeting were the Special Adviser to the President on Power, Dr. Lanre Babalola; the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Power, Alhaji Mahmuda Mamman; the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat; the Lagos State Commissioner for Energy, Mr. Biodun Ogunleye; the Managing Directors of TCN, NISO and REA; and other senior officials of the Federal Ministry of Power and the Lagos State Government.
