CYRIACUS IZUEKWE
The Federal Government on Tuesday commissioned upgraded transmission infrastructure at Alausa and Lekki in Lagos, adding a combined 272MW of bulk power capacity to the state’s grid.
The Honourable Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, said the upgrades are part of the administration’s drive to address bottlenecks in Nigeria’s power sector and improve electricity delivery to homes and businesses.
At Alausa, an existing 30MVA transformer was replaced with a new 100MVA unit. The upgrade increased the station’s total capacity from 135MVA to 205MVA, and raised bulk power available to Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, IKEDC, by 80MW.
At Lekki, the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, installed an additional 2x60MVA, 132/33kV power transformers, alongside nine new 33kV feeders. The project doubled the substation’s 132/33kV capacity from 120MVA to 240MVA, representing an increase of approximately 192MW.
Speaking at both events, Tegbe said the projects reflected a deliberate approach to fixing structural challenges in the sector.
“Identify the bottleneck. Invest in it. Remove the constraint. Unlock the capacity,” he said.
He linked the upgrades to President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to address infrastructure gaps that have limited Nigeria’s economic growth. He added that ageing equipment and stranded capacity would continue to be addressed across the country.
The Lekki project was executed by Shanghai Electric Group Company Limited with support from the World Bank. Officials said an additional 1x300MVA, 330/132kV transformer will also be energised at the station in November 2026.
TCN Managing Director/CEO, Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, said the Alausa project, executed by Shanghai Electric Limited under a World Bank-funded initiative, will provide more stable and reliable electricity to at least 70,000 residents through IKEDC upon energisation.
He said the upgrades will strengthen grid stability and enable more bulk power to reach distribution companies for onward supply within their franchise areas.
“TCN remains resolute in its mandate of building and sustaining a robust transmission network, capable of transporting Nigeria’s growing power needs to various distribution load centres nationwide,” he said.
Tegbe commended TCN, the Nigerian Independent System Operator, NISO, Eko Electricity Distribution Company, EKEDC, IKEDC, Shanghai Electric Group, and the World Bank for their roles in delivering the projects.
He also congratulated Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for sustaining an enabling environment for infrastructure investment in the state.