By David Oluwatosin
The Lagos State Government has announced plans to increase electricity supply to above 3,000 megawatts (MW) by March 2027, from the current level of below 1,000MW, as it intensifies efforts to tackle power shortages and build a 24-hour economy.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu disclosed the target at the fourth Lagos Business School Africa Energy Conference (AEC 2026), held on October 11, 2026, at the Honeywell Auditorium, Lagos Business School, along the Lekki-Epe Expressway.
The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, said the state was working to mobilise an additional 2,000MW through a combination of national grid resources, independent power projects, energy hubs, power barges, energy traders and embedded generation.
According to a statement published on the state government’s official X account, the initiative forms part of efforts to end blackouts, improve electricity reliability and create an enabling environment for businesses and industries to operate more efficiently.
The conference was themed, “Securing Nigeria’s Energy Future: Policy Reform, Capital Mobilisation, and Pathways to a Sustainable Power and Energy Market.”
Sanwo-Olu said achieving the target would require coordinated improvements across the entire electricity value chain, including generation, transmission, distribution, gas supply and metering.
To drive the proposed expansion, the Lagos State Government outlined a seven-point action plan aimed at making the Lagos Electricity Market fully functional and strengthening the infrastructure required to deliver reliable power.
The plan focuses on increasing electricity generation, strengthening distribution capacity, reinforcing transmission infrastructure, improving electricity networks and metering, securing gas-to-power arrangements, and enhancing information technology and market visibility.
The government said it was working to strengthen the transmission network, upgrade substations and distribution feeders, and expand metering coverage to reduce estimated billing and improve service delivery to consumers.
It also plans to establish clear contractual obligations and improve coordination among electricity market operators and regulators to create a commercially viable market capable of attracting private investment.
The government believes that addressing these challenges across the electricity value chain will be critical to delivering a more stable supply for households, commercial establishments and industrial users.
The governor emphasised the importance of reliable gas supply to power plants, noting that the availability of fuel would be essential to increasing generation and sustaining electricity supply.
He also highlighted the deployment of digital systems to strengthen monitoring, accountability and transparency across the electricity market.
The systems include Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and the Lagos Electricity Intelligence Platform.
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These technologies are expected to improve operational visibility, support better monitoring of electricity infrastructure and provide data that can help operators identify faults, manage networks and improve accountability.
Expanding metering coverage is also expected to improve billing transparency and help address consumer concerns over estimated bills.
Beyond the planned increase in electricity supply, the state government disclosed progress in its solarisation initiatives, particularly in public lighting and education infrastructure.
Sanwo-Olu said the government had completed the solarisation of about 42,000 of the approximately 50,000 streetlights earmarked for the initiative.
Solarisation projects have also been completed in 175 public schools, while work is ongoing in another 100 schools.
The projects form part of the state’s broader efforts to diversify energy sources, improve electricity access in public facilities and reduce dependence on conventional power supply.
The government is pursuing a combination of grid-connected electricity, embedded generation and renewable energy solutions to meet the growing power needs of Lagos, one of Nigeria’s major commercial and industrial centres.
Sanwo-Olu called on investors, financial institutions, energy operators and development partners to collaborate with the state in delivering the electricity expansion plan.
He said reliable electricity was essential to industrial growth, job creation, business competitiveness and improved living standards.
According to the governor, the state’s priority is now to ensure disciplined implementation of the proposed measures and deliver measurable results capable of supporting a sustainable electricity market.
The planned increase to more than 3,000MW represents a major expansion target for Lagos, which currently receives electricity supply below 1,000MW, according to the state government’s statement.
However, achieving the target will depend on the coordinated delivery of additional generation, adequate gas supply, stronger transmission and distribution networks, effective metering and a commercially sustainable electricity market.
The government said the plan was designed to address constraints across the power sector while strengthening Lagos’s capacity to support economic activity and improve electricity service delivery to residents and businesses.
If achieved, the additional capacity could help meet rising demand from households, manufacturers, commercial establishments and other electricity consumers across the state.
