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By Adewale Sanyaolu
The Federal Government on Monday commissioned major upgrades to the Ijora and Apapa Road transmission substations in Lagos, adding 208 megawatts (MW) of bulk transmission capacity to the state and strengthening electricity supply to some of its most critical commercial and industrial corridors.
Speaking at the commissioning, Minister of Power, Mr. Joseph Tegbe, said the projects were part of the Federal Government’s efforts to address longstanding transmission constraints and infrastructure decay that have limited the country’s ability to fully utilise available generation.
The upgrades increased the Ijora substation’s capacity by 112MW, from 90MVA to 230MVA, following the installation of two new 100MVA transformers.
At Apapa Road, a new Gas Insulated Substation (GIS) added another 96MW, raising the facility’s capacity from 60MVA to 180MVA. The upgrade replaces an outdoor transformer that had served as a stopgap after the original facility, commissioned in 1985, was decommissioned.
The combined projects deliver 208MW in additional transmission capacity to Lagos, potentially improving the volume and reliability of electricity available to distribution companies for onward supply to homes, businesses and industries.
He said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was demonstrating “fearless commitment to addressing the structural constraints that have held our economy back”, stressing that a stronger electricity network was essential to the ambition of building a $1 trillion economy.
At the Apapa transmission facility, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Mr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, said the installation and energisation of two new 60MVA transformers and modern GIS equipment had tripled the substation’s capacity from 60MVA to 180MVA.
He said the Ijora upgrade had taken its capacity to 230MVA, adding that the projects would increase bulk power available to the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) for onward supply to Apapa Causeway, Ijora, Amukoko, Ajegunle, Apapa Wharf, Tin Can Island and other major commercial areas.
Abdulaziz said the projects, sponsored by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the World Bank respectively, in partnership with TCN, underscored the Federal Government’s commitment to modernising the transmission network and improving grid stability.
He commended the Ministry of Power, JICA, the Government of Japan, Lagos State Government and other stakeholders for supporting the projects, while appealing for additional grant assistance to upgrade other critical sections of the transmission network.
The commissioning ceremonies were attended by senior government officials, development partners and industry stakeholders, including representatives of the Japanese Government, JICA, Lagos State Government, NISO, EKEDC and Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company.
