The Federal Government has commissioned upgraded transmission substations in Ijora and Apapa Road, Lagos, adding 208MW of bulk transmission capacity to strengthen electricity supply across key commercial and industrial areas.
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The Federal Ministry of Power said the two projects provide an additional 208MW of bulk transmission capacity, although the technical figures supplied by TCN are expressed in megavolt-amperes.
At Ijora, two new 100MVA transformers increased the substation’s stated capacity from 90MVA to 230MVA. At Apapa Road, two new 60MVA transformers increased capacity from 60MVA to 180MVA.
The upgrades are significant for Lagos because the Ijora and Apapa corridors serve dense residential, commercial, industrial and maritime activity.
The Apapa Road substation, in particular, supplies areas around Apapa Causeway, Ijora, Amukoko, Ajegunle, Apapa Wharf and Tin Can Island through the Eko Electricity Distribution Company network.
TCN confirmed in April that the two new transformers had already been energised, with the formal commissioning coming later.
Speaking at the commissioning, Tegbe linked the investment to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s broader effort to address structural weaknesses in Nigeria’s electricity sector.
He described Tinubu’s approach as a “fearless commitment to addressing the structural constraints that have held our economy back”, arguing that stronger transmission infrastructure would support the administration’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy.
The minister also thanked Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for supporting the projects and said the Federal Ministry of Power would continue working to reinforce the transmission network across the country.
That emphasis reflects a persistent problem in Nigeria’s electricity market.
The country has significant installed generation capacity, but inadequate transmission and distribution infrastructure has often limited the amount of electricity that can reach consumers.
The Federal Ministry of Power has identified expansion and modernisation of transmission infrastructure as one of its priorities under Tegbe, who assumed office in June after President Tinubu appointed him to replace Adebayo Adelabu.
The ministry says its wider reform agenda is aimed at improving generation, transmission and distribution while addressing longstanding liquidity and infrastructure challenges.
At Apapa Road, TCN chief executive Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz said the project involved the installation and energisation of two 60MVA transformers and modern gas-insulated switchgear.
The upgraded facility has therefore tripled its transformer capacity from 60MVA to 180MVA, according to TCN. Abdulaziz said the additional capacity would give Eko Electricity Distribution Company more bulk electricity to distribute to customers across the Apapa and Ijora axis.
The Apapa Road project was funded by JICA, while the Ijora intervention was supported through World Bank financing, according to the Federal Ministry of Power.
The partnership reflects the long-term international financing behind Nigeria’s efforts to rehabilitate its transmission network.
Earlier TCN and JICA documentation identified Apapa Road as a strategically important substation serving the Apapa port area and surrounding commercial and residential loads.
The choice of Apapa is particularly important because the area sits at the heart of Nigeria’s maritime and logistics economy.
The Apapa and Tin Can Island ports handle substantial cargo traffic, while the surrounding industrial districts support businesses that depend heavily on reliable electricity.
The investment also comes against a difficult recent backdrop for electricity consumers in Lagos.
In June, Eko Electricity Distribution Company experienced a loss of supply from the national grid that affected customers across its network, illustrating how transmission-level problems can quickly translate into widespread disruption for homes and businesses.
The upgraded substations cannot, by themselves, resolve all of Nigeria’s electricity challenges.
More available transmission capacity must be matched by sufficient generation, functioning distribution networks, adequate gas supply and a financially sustainable electricity market.
That distinction is important as the government promotes the projects as part of a broader power-sector turnaround.
Tegbe has previously acknowledged that Nigeria’s electricity problems have no quick fix and has pledged to pursue reforms across the value chain rather than promise an immediate 24-hour supply.
For businesses around Apapa, Ijora and the wider Eko Disco franchise, however, the strengthened transmission infrastructure offers a potentially valuable improvement.
Eko Disco’s service territory includes Ijora, Apapa, Lagos Island, Victoria Island, Lekki and several other major commercial districts in southern Lagos.
The commissioning therefore represents a practical step in the Federal Government’s attempt to make the grid more resilient and move more electricity from generation sources towards areas where demand is high.
The immediate test will be whether the additional capacity translates into more reliable supply for consumers.
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For Lagos’s homes, factories, offices, ports and businesses, that is ultimately the measure that will determine the real impact of the investment.
Peculiar Adirika is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
