NEWS
FG, DisCos Plan Dedicated 24-Hour Power Zones Across Lagos, Abuja-Kano, Enugu-Port Harcourt Corridors
The Federal Government is moving to establish dedicated 24-hour electricity supply zones in some of Nigeria’s busiest commercial and industrial corridors as part of efforts to tackle persistent distribution challenges in the power sector.
The proposed initiative will initially focus on three major economic corridors: the Lagos axis, the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano axis, and the Enugu-Port Harcourt axis.
The plan is designed to provide more stable electricity to households, businesses and industries while strengthening the ability of electricity distribution companies to receive available power from the national grid and deliver it efficiently to consumers.
The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, disclosed the development during a strategic closed-door meeting with the management of selected electricity distribution companies and energy-sector stakeholders to discuss the proposed energy zones.
The minister identified electricity distribution as one of the critical challenges confronting Nigeria’s power sector, noting that the problem extends beyond the availability of generation and transmission infrastructure.
According to the minister, even when electricity is available, limitations in distribution infrastructure and the capacity of DisCos to take up and deliver available power can prevent consumers from benefiting from the supply.
The proposed dedicated power zones are therefore expected to concentrate infrastructure upgrades and operational improvements in areas with strong electricity demand, particularly locations with significant commercial and industrial activities.
The initiative is also expected to help unlock suppressed electricity demand, improve the commercial performance of DisCos and strengthen electricity revenue and collection.
The Federal Government is further seeking to ensure that electricity infrastructure in high-demand locations expands in line with the needs of Nigeria’s growing economy.
Under the proposed arrangement, areas with substantial economic activity could benefit from a more coordinated approach to electricity supply, with infrastructure gaps and distribution bottlenecks addressed to improve reliability for consumers.
Tegbe said the initiative forms part of the structured and sequenced approach being adopted to tackle the longstanding challenges within Nigeria’s electricity sector.
The Ministry of Power said the plan is also aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which identifies reliable electricity supply as a key driver of economic expansion, industrialisation and job creation.
The meeting brought together the leadership of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, Ikeja Electric, Eko Power, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company and Sahara Energy Group.
Further engagements are expected to determine the infrastructure, commercial and operational requirements needed to establish and successfully implement the proposed 24-hour electricity supply zones.
If implemented as planned, the initiative could mark a significant shift towards concentrating power-sector investments in areas where reliable electricity can directly support industrial production, commercial activity and economic growth.