…As community faces four-month blackout over substation maintenance
From Rotimi Asher, Lagos
General Manager in charge of Transmission for Lagos Region of the Transmission Company of Nigeria ,TCN, Mr Adeshina Adeonipekun, has stressed the critical role of Lagos in the national grid.
While receiving the chief executive of Eko Electricity Distribution Company ,EKEDC, Ms Wola Joseph Condotti, at his office on Monday, he said the Lagos region accounts for about 30% of total power off-take in Nigeria.
He stated that TCN was implementing strategic expansion and project upgrades aimed at enhancing grid stability and operational efficiency in response to rising demand.
Mr Adeonipekun highlighted recent key milestones achieved in the region, including the commissioning of a 100MVA power transformer at the Ijora 132/33kV Transmission Substation, a 300MVA transformer at the Lekki 330/132kV Transmission Substation, and a 125MVA unit at the Agbara 132/33kV Substation, among others.
According to him, these additions have further increased the region’s installed capacity to 5,470MVA on the 132/33kV network and 4,110MVA on the 330/132kV network.
He further said that there were several ongoing rehabilitations at key substations within the region, including Amuwo GIS, Akoka 132/33kV, and Itire 132/33kV Transmission Substations, all geared towards further improving reliability, reducing system constraints, and enhancing the overall efficiency of power delivery.
In her remarks, Ms Condotti expressed appreciation for TCN’s continued partnership and support, underscoring the importance of sustained collaboration between transmission and distribution companies in building a more stable and efficient electricity transmission and supply network.
Both parties explored ways to strengthen collaboration and ensure a more stable and efficient power supply in Lagos, the nation’s commercial hub.
Meanwhile, residents and business owners in the Amuwo-Odofin area of Lagos State may face a four-month blackout due to the scheduled maintenance of a 132kV substation in the community.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria ,TCN, and Ikeja Electric are set to begin rehabilitation and maintenance works on the 132kV GIS substation at the Amuwo Transmission Station.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the management of Ikeja Electric on Wednesday via its X handle.
According to the statement, the operation is set to commence on Wednesday, March 19, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., and is expected to continue until Thursday, July 30, 2026.
“Please be informed that rehabilitation and maintenance works on the 132kV GIS substation at the Amuwo Transmission Station will commence on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. and are expected to continue until Thursday, July 30, 2026.
“During this period, the Transmission Company of Nigeria ,TCN, and Ikeja Electric will work collaboratively to minimise the impact of the project on customers served by the following feeders”, the statement read.
The affected lines include the 11-AmuwoINJ-T1, serving Old Ojo Road and Ijesha Express, as well as the 11-AmuwoINJ-T2, covering Jakande 1 and 2. Also affected are the 33-AmuwoTCN lines supplying Amukoko and the Hongxing 1 and 2 areas.
It said the upgrade is aimed at strengthening the power infrastructure and enhancing the reliability and efficiency of electricity supply to customers within the affected areas.
“We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patience, understanding, and continued cooperation as we undertake these important improvement works”, the management stated.
Earlier in March, the Eko Electricity Distribution Company ,EKEDC, also announced a scheduled three-day power outage in the Lekki District of Lagos to enable network upgrade works aimed at improving electricity supply in the area.
The electricity distribution company disclosed this in a notice issued to customers, informing residents and businesses that the temporary disruption would affect Lekki and surrounding communities within the Lekki district network.
According to the company, the planned outage was to take place from Thursday, March 13, to Saturday, March 15, 2026, as engineers carried out upgrade works at the Lekki Injection Substation.
The power supply crisis in Nigeria is being worsened by various factors, ranging from maintenance operations to grid collapses and electricity companies’ financial constraints.
A growing number of Nigeria’s power generation companies ,GenCos, have shut down operations amid a mounting N6.8 trillion debt burden, crippling their ability to maintain equipment, secure gas supplies, and meet basic operational expenses.
This is according to a recent report by Bloomberg.
The financial strain reflects widening liquidity challenges across the electricity value chain, according to Joy Ogaji, Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Power Generation Companies ,APGC.
Industry figures show that power generation companies were owed about N6.8 trillion as of the end of February.
If unresolved, the ability of the companies to function may continue to dwindle.
