Lagos Assembly Wades Into Royal Gardens Estate, EKEDC Dispute

The Lagos State House of Assembly has stepped into the protracted crisis between residents of Royal Gardens Estate, Ajah, and the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), following a petition by the Royal Gardens Residents’ Association (RGERA).

In a letter signed by the clerk of the House, B. Onafeko, the Assembly’s Committee on Housing invited RGERA representatives to a meeting scheduled for Tuesday, September 23, at the Assembly Complex in Alausa, Ikeja.

The session is expected to bring all concerned parties to the table for deliberations on the lingering electricity and governance disputes.

The crisis, which has rocked the once-model estate for over a year, escalated after EKEDC disconnected the community from the national grid on May 26, 2024. Residents have since been forced to rely on diesel generators and solar alternatives.

At the heart of the dispute is the controversial bulk metering system imposed on the estate, which residents said violates the Electricity Act of 2023.

Under the bulk metering arrangement, the estate is billed collectively, leaving individual residents powerless to reconcile their own energy payments with EKEDC.

Despite EKEDC’s stated willingness to switch to direct metering, the estate’s developer, Trojan Estates, has resisted the change, fueling allegations of manipulation and abuse of authority.

Beyond electricity, residents accuse the developer of undermining democratic governance in the estate, imposing decisions without consultation, stifling the residents’ association and interfering in community projects. Complaints of indiscriminate service charges, power disconnections despite valid payments, and failure to manage sanitation have deepened tensions.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) had earlier attempted to mediate but faced setbacks after Trojan Estates repeatedly failed to attend hearings, instead filing a lawsuit challenging NERC’s authority. The case, brought under Solar Gardens Project Ltd, is currently before Justice D.I. Dipeolu of the Federal High Court, Lagos.

With the Assembly now involved, residents are hopeful that lawmakers will ensure compliance with the law, protect their rights and restore order to the troubled estate.