Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said the state is working to increase electricity supply from the current level of below 1,000 megawatts to more than 3,000MW by March 2027.
Sanwo-Olu disclosed this on Thursday at the fourth Lagos Business School Africa Energy Conference 2026, held in Lagos with the theme, “Securing Nigeria’s Energy Future: Policy Reform, Capital Mobilisation, and Pathways to a Sustainable Power and Energy Market”.
The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, said the state planned to mobilise an additional 2,000MW through multiple channels, including national grid resources, independent power projects, energy hubs, power barges, energy traders and embedded generation.
“Lagos needs more power. Our immediate objective is to mobilise 2,000MW of additional electricity supply through multiple channels, including additional national-grid resources, Lagos independent power projects and energy hubs, excess generation, power barges, energy traders and embedded generation.
“Our ambition is to move from below 1,000MW today to well above 3,000MW by March 2027, while continuing to build towards the larger requirements of the Lagos economy,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu explained that achieving the target would require coordinated improvements across the electricity value chain, including generation, transmission, distribution, gas supply and metering.
He outlined a seven-point action plan focused on making the Lagos electricity market fully operational, increasing power generation, strengthening distribution capacity, reinforcing transmission infrastructure, improving networks and metering, enhancing gas-to-power arrangements, and deploying information technology to improve market visibility.
The governor said the state was working to strengthen its transmission network, improve substations and distribution feeders, and expand metering coverage to reduce estimated billing and improve service delivery.
He added that the government was also working to establish clear contractual obligations, improve coordination among electricity market operators and regulators, and create a commercially viable environment capable of attracting private investment.
Sanwo-Olu stressed the importance of reliable gas supplies to power plants and the deployment of digital systems to improve electricity monitoring and accountability.
The systems include Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and the Lagos Electricity Intelligence Platform, which are expected to strengthen transparency and provide better visibility across the electricity market.
The governor also highlighted progress in renewable-energy projects, revealing that about 42,000 of the approximately 50,000 streetlights earmarked for solarisation had been completed.
He added that solarisation projects had been completed in 175 public schools, with work ongoing in another 100.
Sanwo-Olu called on investors, financial institutions, energy operators and development partners to collaborate with the state in implementing its electricity expansion plans.
He said a reliable power supply was essential for industrial growth, job creation, business competitiveness and improved living standards.
According to him, the priority was now to ensure disciplined implementation and measurable results that would support the development of a sustainable electricity market and strengthen Lagos State’s economic growth.
Shell executive calls for sustained energy reforms
In his keynote address, the Vice-President of Deepwater Assets and Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo), Ronald Adams, called for consistent implementation of Nigeria’s energy sector reforms to attract investment, accelerate oil and gas development and improve energy access.
Adams said Nigeria’s natural resources could drive industrialisation, create jobs and strengthen energy security if supported by competitive fiscal policies, regulatory certainty, efficient project approvals and disciplined execution.
He noted that Nigeria’s estimated 37 billion barrels of oil and condensate reserves, alongside more than 250 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves, presented significant opportunities for economic development.
However, Adams stressed that the country’s resource abundance alone could not guarantee prosperity, highlighting the importance of policies and investments that would translate its natural wealth into sustainable economic growth.
