Federal Govt Adds 208MW Capacity To Lagos Grid, Unveils Upgraded Ijora, Apapa Substations

The federal government on Monday commissioned two upgraded transmission substations in Lagos, saying the work will add 208 megawatts of bulk transmission capacity to the city’s power network.

Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe said the upgrades were part of the administration’s effort to fix long-standing transmission problems that have limited the power sector. He said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was showing “fearless commitment to addressing the structural constraints that have held our economy back,” and that the projects support the government’s goal of building a one trillion-dollar economy,

At the Ijora substation, Tegbe said workers installed two new 100MVA transformers, increasing the site’s capacity from 90MVA to 230MVA — an extra 112MW.

He said the increase would help move more power to Lagos’s busy commercial areas.

At the Apapa Road substation, Tegbe said a new Gas Insulated Substation (GIS) provided an additional 96MW. He explained that the GIS replaced an older outdoor transformer that had been used as a temporary solution after the original 1985 facility was decommissioned.

The managing director and CEO of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, said the Apapa upgrade included two new 60MVA transformers and modern Gas Insulated Switchgear. He said those installations had tripled Apapa’s capacity from 60 MVA to 180 MVA, and that Ijora now stands at 230 MVA.

Abdulaziz said the upgrades would increase bulk power available to Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) for onward supply to Apapa Causeway, Ijora, Amukoko, Ajegunle, Apapa Wharf, Tin Can Island and other key commercial areas.

He described the projects as joint efforts with international partners, saying the Ijora work was sponsored by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Apapa work by the World Bank, both in partnership with TCN. Abdulaziz said the projects demonstrate the Federal Government’s commitment to modernising the transmission network and stabilising the national grid. He praised the Ministry of Power, JICA, the Government of Japan, Lagos State Government and other stakeholders, and asked for similar grant assistance for other parts of the transmission system.

Tegbe also thanked Lagos state governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for supporting the projects.

He said the Ministry would continue to strengthen transmission infrastructure across the country to close the gap between how much electricity is generated and how much the network can carry.

The commissioning ceremonies were attended by senior officials, including Japan’s Ambassador to Nigeria (represented by his deputy), JICA Nigeria’s chief representative, Ishigame Keiji, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Power, the CEO of the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO), and representatives from Lagos State, Eko and Ikeja distribution companies.