FG Targets 6,000MW Power Supply by December

The Federal Government plans to increase electricity generation and transmission to 6,000 megawatts before December 2026 as part of efforts to improve power supply across Nigeria, Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe has said.

Tegbe disclosed this on Monday in Lagos during the commissioning of two new 100 MVA, 132/33 kilovolt transformers at the Ijora Transmission Substation.

The government’s target comes at a time when Nigeria’s power generation is around 5,000MW, while the Transmission Company of Nigeria has an estimated wheeling capacity of about 8,500MW. The planned increase means the government will need to raise generation while also making sure the national transmission network can carry more electricity to distribution companies and consumers.

Tegbe said the Federal Government also plans to commission 20 transmission projects before the end of 2026. He said the projects are aimed at improving the capacity and reliability of the country’s electricity network.

The minister said the government’s plan goes beyond producing more electricity, noting that available power must be moved through the transmission network and delivered to homes, businesses and industries in a reliable manner.

The Ijora project is expected to improve electricity supply in several parts of Lagos, including Ijora, Costain, Oyigbo, Customs and Ajegunle. The area serves a large number of businesses, industrial facilities, commercial centres and communities within the Eko Electricity Distribution Company franchise.

Before the upgrade, the Ijora substation had three 30 MVA transformers with a combined installed capacity of 90 MVA. Two of those transformers have now been replaced with two 100 MVA units, taking the total installed transformer capacity at the station to 230 MVA.

The upgrade provides an additional 125MW of bulk transmission capacity and is expected to give the network more room to handle rising electricity demand in Lagos.

Tegbe said the improvement at Ijora was part of the wider effort to fix problems that have affected Nigeria’s power sector for many years. In the past, limited transmission capacity often prevented some of the electricity generated from reaching distribution networks.

He said the government was working across the generation, transmission and distribution parts of the electricity system to reduce these problems and provide a more stable power supply.

The minister also praised the Transmission Company of Nigeria for its recent response to faults on the national grid. According to him, several faults involving transmission equipment and feeders had been repaired within hours, while other problems were resolved within 24 hours.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of TCN, Sule Abdulaziz, said the decision to install two 100 MVA transformers instead of the usual 60 MVA units was based on Lagos’ growing electricity demand.

He said the larger transformers would provide extra capacity for future growth, reduce pressure on the network and improve the reliability of electricity supplied to areas served by Eko Disco.

The Ijora transformer project was funded by the World Bank and carried out by Shanghai Electric Limited. It forms part of TCN’s nationwide programme to upgrade substations, transmission lines and other equipment.

Abdulaziz said TCN would continue investing in transmission infrastructure so that the network can keep pace with electricity generation and growing demand.

Earlier, Tegbe also unveiled a 2×60 MVA, 132/33kV gas-insulated substation on Apapa Road in Lagos. The project was funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

The Federal Government expects the ongoing transmission projects to increase the amount of electricity that can be moved across the network and support businesses, industries and households as Nigeria works towards its long-term economic growth plans.