We’ll Build Sustainable Energy, Power Infrastructure In Oyo – Commissioner

Oyo State government has reiterated its commitment to building a sustainable energy future that would transform people from poverty to prosperity through reliable, sustainable power infrastructure.

The commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, who also doubles as the Acting Chairman of the Oyo State Electricity Regulatory Commission (OYSERC), Prof. Dahud K. Shangodoyin, stated this during a press briefing held at the Governor’s Office Briefing Room, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.

He noted that Oyo State had begun a more sustainable and technically robust 12-megawatt Ibadan Independent Power Gas Project, which will serve not only the government secretariat but also strategic public institutions.

He said the project would reduce operating costs and expand the state’s economy, explaining that the state currently receives 183 megawatts from the national grid, far below the minimum 520 megawatts required for economic growth.

Shangodoyin noted that the state government has invested in a 12-megawatt Ibadan Independent Gas Project, with plans to add about 120 megawatts before the current administration’s term expires in 2027.

He added that the power project represents a shift from experimental power supply to a structured, scalable, and integrated electricity solution to support industrial growth, attract investors, create job opportunities, and boost the state’s economy.

The commissioner stated that, as part of its responsibilities, the OYSERC regulates electricity industry operators in the state.

He, therefore, called on residents of the state to always channel their complaints about the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Commission (IBEDC) to the commission.

He said, “There is no meaningful development that we can have in the state without reliable infrastructure.

“And, at the heart of this infrastructure lies energy. Governor Seyi Makinde, from Omituntun 1.0 to 2.0, has been building the foundation for sustainable economic growth through deliberate investments in power and infrastructure.

“Nigeria has witnessed a landmark reform in the energy sector through the Electoral Act 2023. This law empowers each state to manage its own generation, distribution and transmission of electricity, and equally to regulate its own electricity market.”

He added, “With this in place, and with the Ministry of Energy, which also ensures that we reduce the deficit of access to electricity, within the next three quarters, Oyo State will be witnessing progress in this sector because we are opening up the electricity market in Oyo State through the Oyo State Electricity Commission.

“We have had almost 30 investors who are willing to come to Oyo State because the Oyo State Electricity Regulatory Commission now has an integrated electricity resource plan, 2026 to 2036.

“This gives us a plan on how to move from one stage to the other. We know that the minimum electricity required is about 520 megawatts. Right now, what we have is just 182 megawatts, which means we are having less than 25 per cent of what is required minimally.”