In a bid to solve Nigeria’s enduring energy challenges, the Federal Government and the Lagos State Government have joined forces to launch an initiative aimed at delivering reliable, 24-hour electricity across the state. Lagos has officially been designated as the pilot zone for the ambitious "24/7 Energy Zone" program before rollout to other high-demand industrial corridors across the country.
The strategic partnership was solidified following high-level technical meetings between the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Explaining the rationale behind selecting Lagos as the flagship location, Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe noted that the state alone accounts for approximately 40 to 50 percent of Nigeria’s total electricity demand.
Given its status as the nation's economic hub, stabilizing power supply in Lagos is viewed as a critical economic imperative. The initiative aims to relieve the heavy reliance on private petrol and diesel generators, drastically reducing operating overheads for businesses, manufacturers, and households while powering industrial productivity.
To transition the proposal from administrative dialogue to field implementation, both governments established a Joint Technical Steering and Implementation Committee. Co-chaired by key representatives from federal and state regulatory agencies—including the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), and the Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission (LSERC)—the committee is tasked with clearing technical, regulatory, and infrastructural hurdles.
The pilot scheme will focus on four core operational pillars:
Grid Stabilisation: Strengthening network infrastructure to prevent frequent grid collapses and voltage fluctuations.
Distribution Offtake & Expansion: Partnering with regional Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) to ensure generated power is effectively absorbed and routed to end-users without technical bottlenecks.
Market Liquidity: Addressing cash-flow bottlenecks across the value chain to make power trading bankable for investors and generating companies.
Regulatory Harmonisation: Aligning federal power frameworks with the Clean Lagos Electricity Market (CLEM) rules to ensure seamless governance.
Governor Sanwo-Olu assured stakeholders that Lagos is committed to building a competitive, bankable electricity market that guarantees returns for private investors while giving residents dependable power supply.
If successful, federal authorities plan to replicate the 24/7 Energy Zone model across other major economic belts, including the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano industrial belt and the Enugu-Port Harcourt commercial corridor.