States Are Free To Generate, Transmit And Distribute Electricity Within Their States In Nigeria by... Mayowa Michael Adeleye

STATES ARE FREE TO GENERATE, TRANSMIT AND DISTRIBUTE ELECTRICITY WITHIN THEIR STATES IN NIGERIA.

STATE GOVT ARE FREE TO ISSUE LICENCES TO PRIVATELY OWNED GENCOs, TRANSCOs AND DISCOs. Written by Mayowa Michael Adeleye

EVEN THOUGH LAGOS STATE GOVT GENERATED AND DISTRIBUTED 47.5MW DURING FASHOLA ERA, MANY NIGERIANS STILL THINK STATE GOVTS ARE CONSTITUTIONALLY BARRED FROM GENERATING AND DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER OFF-GRID.

Recall that during the era of former Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola (now Minister for Power, Works and Housing), Lagos State Government generated 47.5 Megawatts (MW) through five Independent Power Plants (IPP) over a period of 6 years period (2010-2014) during his tenures as Lagos State Governor.

In fact, Lagos State is the only State in Nigeria that has portfolio for Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources.

1. The first IPP was the Akute Power Plant, with total generation capacity of 12.16MW, was built and inaugurated in 2010.

2. The Lagos Island Power Project with 10 MW with total generation capacity was inaugurated in 2011.

3. The Alausa Power Plant, with with total generation capacity of 10.4MW, was inaugurated in 2013.

4. The Mainland Power Project, with total generation capacity of 8.8MW, was inaugurated in 2014.

5. The Lekki Peninsular IPP, with total capacity of 8.5 MW was inaugurated in 2015.

All together so far, Lagos State Government is generating 47.5 MW (OFF GRID) of electricity in Lagos.

The off-grid electricity power generated were distributed by Lagos State Government to power Lagos State owned facilities such as Akute and Jim Intakes; Akute and Iju Head Work, Lagos House; Marina General Hospital; Lagos High Courts and Public Lightings, Alausa Secretariat, LTV, Radio Lagos, Printing Corporation, Police Command, LASUTH, Ikoyi and Victoria Island Water Works, Lekki-Ikoyi Bridge and the street lamps within the secretariat.

The Peninsula Integrated Power Project commissioned in 2015 was a Public Private Partnership (PPP) between Lagos State Government and Peninsula Integrated Power Limited, to provide power for public infrastructure in the Lekki/Ikoyi/Victoria Island axis like the Lekki Phase 1 Waterworks, Ligali Ayorinde Waterworks, Victoria Island, Saka Tinubu Waterworks, 25km new public lighting within Lekki Phase 1. The 8.5MW Lekki Independent Power Plant (IPP) also supplies uninterrupted power supply to the Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ) in Lekki area of Lagos state.

While few other state government in Nigeria are beginning to sign MOUs for off-grid electric power generation and distribution in their State, and while majority of other States are yet to know how to start, Lagos remains the most aggressive energy development agenda in the country.

In fact, many Nigerian citizens still go around with the misconception insinuations that states can not partake in electricity generation, transmission and distribution. This is wrong assumption.

This write-up was written to enlighten the public to know that state government in Nigeria are neither constitutionally barred from generating and distribution electricity in their states nor barred from issuing licences to privately owned power corporation to generate, to transmit and to distribute electricity within their states just as the FG owned National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) using the State owned Electricity Regulatory Commission equivalent.

There is nothing in any law in Nigeria that prohibits states from being active participants in the electricity investment and development in their states.