Power Sector: Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Revolution in Lagos

Nigeria has over the years been faced with the challenges of raising power generation and supply, which has hindered the country’s economic productivity and growth.

Successive governments, especially at the Federal Government level have tried their hands on different initiatives aimed at addressing the problem.

Being the industrial nerve centre of Nigeria, Lagos state consumes between 45 to 50 per cent of the electricity generated in Nigeria. It is therefore one of the most affected by the epileptic power supply in the country.

The Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration in Lagos State however showed that state governments can also play major roles in addressing the seemingly intractable power problem.

In 2000, the government contracted AES of USA to build an Independent Power Project (IPP)  that will generate 270MW of electricity to Lagos residents in order to exit the irrational power supply being provided by the FG. The 270MW is now part of our national grid.

The $12 million power project which was financed by a consortium of four foreign banks and three foreign institutions is the first of it’s kind in the country. The Tinubu electrification project covered over 100 communities. In his first term, 53 rural communities were targeted.

The projects were completed in Egan, Atewolere, Ifesowapo, Aboru, Agbado Ayetoro, Akorede, Isheri Ikosi, Orile Aguntan, Rofo, Borokini, Omologbede, Araromi, Oke Agbo, Erekusu, Logberu, Okegelu and Ebute, Lekki.

Others were Origanringan, Onigbolakowe, Oke odo Elemoro, Ipaja Isale odo, Agenuba, Ajelogo, Mutaku, Egansando, Ayanfe, topo and Ikola Agbenaje.

The State Government under Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu also provided transformers to many communities in its quest to get get power supply to the nooks and crannies of the state.

When Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, erstwhile Chief of Staff to Asiwaju took over as governor, he continued with the blueprint put in place by his former boss in the power sector.

The government in 2009  entered into a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Island Power Limited (a part of Negris Group) to build, own and operate a power plant to provide 24-hour uninterrupted power supply to the General Hospital, Lagos Island; High Court, Catholic Mission Street; High Court Annex, TBS; Magistrates Court, Igbosere Street; Island Maternity Hospital, Lagos Island; State House, Marina; and to power street lights for 20 streets within Lagos Island, an 18km dedicated underground distribution network, all being powered using gas engines.

Equally noteworthy was the establishment of a transformer manufacturing plant in the state.

This landmark achievement by the state government, the first in West Africa, not only aided the supply of transformers to the state but to the entire nation.

The transformer manufacturing company, El Sewedy Electrical Nigerian Limited, is a joint venture between the Lagos State Government and the EL Sewedy Group of Cairo, Egypt.

Following his emergence as APC presidential standard bearer at the party’s June 2022 presidential primaries, Tinubu has given a clear commitment to solving Nigeria’s power issue if voted to power next year.

According to his economic agenda, which was released by the Director of Media and Communication of his Campaign Organization, Bayo Onanuga, after his declaration as the winner of the APC primary on Tuesday, June 7, Tinubu said he would increase Nigeria’s power generation from 5, 000 MW to 15, 000 MW.

The economic agenda also stated that Tinubu plans to guarantee 24 hours steady power supply for the country.