The Federal Government plans to introduce a 24-hour electricity supply in parts of Lagos, Ogun, and Abuja as part of efforts to improve power delivery in major economic centres, according to the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe.
Tegbe said the Lagos-Ogun axis and the Abuja franchise area had been identified as proposed pilot locations for the initiative, subject to technical readiness and commercial viability.
The minister disclosed this on Friday during an interactive luncheon with senior media editors in Lagos, where he outlined the Tinubu administration’s plans to address persistent electricity challenges through infrastructure investment and reforms.
He stated that the two proposed pilot areas jointly account for more than 50 per cent of the country’s electricity demand, making them strategic locations for the planned intervention.
Tegbe explained that the initiative formed part of a corridor-based electricity development strategy targeting the Lagos-Ogun, Benin-Enugu-Port Harcourt, and Abuja-Kaduna-Kano economic corridors.
“The strategy seeks to align electricity generation, transmission, and distribution capacity with demand in major economic centres,” he said.
The minister identified inadequate gas supply, ageing infrastructure, vandalism, transmission constraints, poor metering, and commercial difficulties as some of the major challenges affecting the electricity value chain.
“These interconnected problems require disciplined reform implementation rather than isolated interventions or short-term solutions,” he added.
On efforts to strengthen the sector, Tegbe disclosed that the Federal Government had paid N1.23tn out of the N3.3tn approved by President Bola Tinubu to settle verified legacy debts owed to electricity generation companies.
He added that more than 2.8 million electricity customers had been metered between 2023 and October 2026 under the Presidential Metering Initiative.
The minister also said recently commissioned substations and equipment had added more than 1,300 megavolt-amperes to the national transmission capacity.
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He listed Apapa, Ijora, Ikeja, Kumbotoso, Dankata, Mashi, Dan-Agundi, Biliri, and Walalambe among the locations covered by the transmission improvements.
Tegbe further disclosed that the government was building a new National Grid Control Centre in Osogbo to replace the existing facility, which is more than 60 years old.
He said the administration was also working toward expanding electricity generation capacity to 10,000 megawatts.
Regarding the security of electricity infrastructure, the minister said the Federal Government had approved a coordinated anti-vandalism campaign involving relevant security agencies.
He added that the government would strengthen legal measures to protect critical power assets against vandalism and other forms of sabotage.
Tegbe acknowledged Nigerians’ frustration with unreliable electricity supply, admitting that the sector remained far from meeting public expectations.
He said restoring public confidence would require improved service delivery, transparency, accountability, and regular communication about government interventions.
The minister urged the media to report developments in the sector accurately while maintaining professional scrutiny of government policies and performance.
He stated that electricity consumers deserved timely explanations whenever supply disruptions occurred, including information on remedial measures and the responsibilities of institutions across the power value chain.
“The ultimate measure of success would not be installed capacity or policy announcements alone, but tangible improvements in electricity supply to Nigerian homes, businesses, and industries,” he said.
