In a groundbreaking move towards sustainable development, the Lagos State Government (LASG) has unveiled plans to deploy one gigawatt (GW) of renewable energy and 2GW of gas-fired infrastructure within the next two years.
The announcement was made by Biodun Ogunleye, Lagos State commissioner of energy and mineral resources at ongoing Lagos Investors’ Roundtable, highlighting the administration’s commitment to revolutionising the city’s energy landscape.
According to Ogunleye, the plan includes deploying 800 megawatts (MW) of grid-connected solar facilities, complemented by waste-to-energy projects to make up the remaining capacity.
In addition to renewable energy, the commissioner said the state is set to develop 2GW of embedded gas-fired infrastructure.
He said: “The big news is that we are putting together an integrated resource plan that will be committing us to ensuring that over the next two years about one gigawatt of renewables are deployed on the Lagos electricity market.
“We are also putting together two gigawatts of embedded gas-fired infrastructure. The gas-fired infrastructure will be possible on account of the various tweaks we are going to be affecting on the gas supply chain.”
Addressing concerns about land availability, the commissioner pointed out that specific sites have already been identified for these projects.
Locations such as the Dangote Refinery site, which has transformed into a hub of activity, serve as examples of how underutilised areas can be developed into vital energy assets.
He added: “We have identified more sites and we are ready to deploy these new facilities. The Transmission Infrastructure Development Plan is coming up with new substations at five locations.
“The five locations are Badagry, Alakotomeji, Oko-orisan at Epe, the Free Trade Zone and Otunmara in Ebute-metta and Okunraye in Ibeju.”
According to him, these facilities will be complemented by energy hubs, co-located with these substations to facilitate efficient energy generation, repair, servicing, and warehousing operations.
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Last year, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos State, said the bill signed by President Muhammadu Buhari granting states autonomy in the electricity market will strengthen plans to install one gigawatt of solar energy by 2030 and increase access to electricity, investments and job opportunities.
Sanwo-Olu said this on his Twitter handle, congratulating the president on the new development. “A few days ago, President Muhammadu Buhari signed bills granting states more autonomy in key areas like electricity, railways, and the judiciary, empowering Lagos to take charge of our growth. Thank you, Mr President,” he said.
He described the Constitutional Alteration Bill No. 33 as a historic move that grants the state the authority to regulate electricity generation, transmission, and distribution. “This will create a Lagos electricity market, increasing access to electricity, investments and job opportunities,” he said.
