By Atlantic Reports

Lagos State plans to raise its electricity supply from below 1,000 megawatts (MW) to above 3,000MW by March 2027, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said, outlining an expansion intended to reduce blackouts and support a 24-hour economy.

Speaking through his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, at the Fourth Lagos Business School Africa Energy Conference in Lekki on Saturday, Sanwo-Olu said the state would seek additional electricity through several sources rather than rely on a single project.

These include national grid supplies, independent power projects, energy hubs, excess generation, power barges, energy traders and embedded generation.

“Our ambition is to move from below 1,000MW today to well above 3,000MW by March 2027, while continuing to build towards the larger requirements of the Lagos economy,” he said.

The target is a government commitment, not electricity capacity already delivered. Sanwo-Olu said achieving it would require improvements across generation, transmission, distribution, gas supply and metering.

Networks, Gas and Investment Central to Delivery

The governor outlined an action plan covering the operation of the Lagos Electricity Market, increased generation, stronger transmission and distribution infrastructure, improved metering, reliable gas supply and better digital monitoring.

He said the state was working to upgrade substations and distribution feeders, strengthen transmission networks and expand metering coverage to reduce estimated billing.

The government also intended to establish clear contractual obligations and improve coordination between operators and regulators to attract private investment.

Sanwo-Olu highlighted plans to deploy digital monitoring and metering systems, including Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, Advanced Metering Infrastructure and the Lagos Electricity Intelligence Platform.

These systems, he said, would improve oversight, accountability and transparency.

His address did not specify the financing secured, the capacity expected from each supply source or commissioning dates for individual projects. Those details will be important in assessing progress towards the March deadline.

For households and businesses, the practical outcome will depend on how much additional electricity reaches consumers and how consistently it is supplied.

Solar Projects in Schools and Streetlights

Sanwo-Olu said approximately 42,000 of the 50,000 streetlights earmarked for conversion to solar power had been completed.

He also reported that solar projects had been implemented in 175 public schools, with work continuing in another 100.

The governor invited investors, financial institutions, energy operators and development partners to support the wider electricity programme.

“The focus is now on disciplined implementation and measurable results that will support development of a sustainable electricity market and strengthen economic growth of Lagos,” he said.

Energy Reforms Must Produce Working Projects

In his keynote address, Ronald Adams, Vice President, Deepwater Assets and Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Ltd., called for sustained implementation of Nigeria’s energy reforms.

Adams said competitive fiscal policies, regulatory certainty, efficient project approvals and disciplined execution were needed to turn resource potential into investment, jobs and improved energy access.

He cited estimates of 37 billion barrels of oil and condensate reserves and more than 250 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves, while stressing that resource abundance alone could not guarantee prosperity.

Adams said natural gas should play a central role in electricity generation, manufacturing and industrial development.

The conference, themed “Securing Nigeria’s Energy Future: Policy Reform, Capital Mobilisation and Pathways to a Sustainable Power and Energy Market”, brought together stakeholders to discuss policy, financing and infrastructure.

LBS Energy Club President Sebilat Quadri said the objective was to help translate energy potential into bankable projects, investment and measurable results.

Earlier, LBS Dean Prof. Olayinka David-West urged participants to address policy, infrastructure, financing and market challenges across the energy sector.

She said reliable, affordable and sustainable energy was essential to business competitiveness, industrial productivity, job creation and living standards.

For Lagos, the March 2027 target sets a delivery benchmark. Its significance will be measured in reliable supply to homes, workplaces and public services, alongside the infrastructure needed to sustain it.

Atlantic Reports: Voices. People. Facts.