Federal Government Plans 24-Hour Electricity Supply In Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Others

The federal government has begun discussions with electricity distribution companies on the creation of dedicated Energy Zones that could provide 24-hour electricity supply to homes, businesses and industries in major demand centres across Nigeria.

The proposed zones will cover the Lagos axis, Abuja-Kaduna-Kano corridor and Enugu-Port Harcourt corridor, according to the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe.

Tegbe disclosed this during a closed-door meeting with the leadership of selected electricity distribution companies, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by his media aide, Adeola Adelabu.

The initiative is aimed at addressing persistent distribution constraints and ensuring that electricity generated and transmitted through the national grid can reach consumers more reliably, particularly in areas with high commercial and industrial demand.

Explaining the rationale behind the proposed Energy Zones, Tegbe said the challenges confronting Nigeria’s electricity sector went beyond generation and transmission.

“The constraint on the sector is not limited to generation and transmission but includes how much power is taken up and delivered at the distribution end,” the minister said.

According to him, improving the capacity of distribution companies to receive and deliver available electricity would help unlock additional commercial and industrial demand while improving their revenue and collection performance.

The minister also reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to expanding electricity infrastructure in areas with significant demand, stressing that power supply capacity must increase alongside the growth of the Nigerian economy.

The proposed Energy Zones are expected to prioritise areas where reliable electricity is critical to manufacturing, businesses and other productive activities.

However, the federal government has yet to announce a specific implementation timeline, the electricity capacity to be allocated to the proposed zones or the infrastructure investments required to guarantee uninterrupted supply.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), Ikeja Electric, Eko Power, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) and Sahara Energy Group.

The engagement forms part of Tegbe’s stated approach of adopting a disciplined and phased strategy to address longstanding challenges in the electricity sector.

The initiative also falls under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which identifies reliable electricity supply as a key component of economic growth, industrialisation and job creation.

The proposed Energy Zones came amid continued concerns over the reliability of electricity supply across the country and the ability of distribution companies to effectively deliver available power to consumers.