Lagos aims for 24/7 power, eliminating electricity bands

The Lagos State Government says it is working toward eliminating the current electricity band classification system used to group consumers based on the number of hours of power they receive daily.

The state’s Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Biodun Ogunleye, disclosed this during an inter-ministerial briefing held on Monday to present the achievements of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration in the energy sector over the past year.

Ogunleye made the remarks while responding to concerns about communities in Aboru and other parts of Lagos currently classified under Band D, where residents reportedly receive less than three hours of electricity supply daily.

According to him, the state government is focused on creating an electricity ecosystem that makes such classifications unnecessary.

“Part of what we are trying to enable is an environment that eliminates banding,” he said.

“Banding says you have three, eight, 12 or 21 hours of light. We are asking: is it impossible to have continuous power supply? Mr Governor has thrown the challenge repeatedly. Is it impossible to have 24-hour power supply? I strongly believe that we can do it.”

Under Nigeria’s electricity tariff framework, customers are grouped into Bands A to E based on the minimum number of hours of electricity they are expected to receive each day. Consumers in higher bands typically pay more but are guaranteed longer supply periods.

To support its goal of uninterrupted electricity, Ogunleye said Lagos is targeting an additional 2,000 megawatts of embedded power generation through partnerships with private investors.

He noted that residents could begin to experience improved electricity supply from these projects within the next six to 12 months.

“We are working with various providers to ensure embedded power generation within the Lagos environment,” the commissioner said.

“We cannot continue to depend entirely on the federal government. We must have a stable and productive Lagos. Without electricity, there will be zero development and our people’s opportunities will not be maximised.”

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Ogunleye added that Lagos currently has 12 independent power producers under regulatory oversight, with seven already operating commercially.

He also revealed that the state has rehabilitated 37.7 kilometres of 132-kilovolt transmission lines across Badagry, Epe and other strategic corridors to improve grid reliability and strengthen regional connectivity.

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