Residents across Lagos may continue to experience frustrating power outages as Ikeja Electric Plc has officially confirmed fresh electricity cuts across parts of its network, attributing the development to reduced power allocation from the national grid.
In a notice shared on its official X account on Friday, the electricity distribution company appealed to customers for patience, stating that the disruptions were beyond its immediate control and linked to a nationwide decline in power generation.
The company admitted that several communities under its network are currently experiencing supply constraints and apologized for the inconvenience.
"We sincerely regret the ongoing power supply challenges currently affecting some areas within our network due to reduced power allocation from the grid," Ikeja Electric stated.
Temporary Load Shedding Introduced Across Affected Areas
To manage the shortage and prevent a total collapse of supply, the company said it has activated temporary load shedding across several feeders and locations. According to Ikeja Electric, the measure is necessary to maintain grid stability while ensuring fair distribution of the limited electricity available.
"As part of efforts to maintain grid stability and ensure equitable distribution of available power, temporary load shedding is being implemented across affected feeders and locations," the statement added.
The company further assured customers that it is working closely with relevant stakeholders in the power sector to improve supply and reduce the hardship caused by the outages.
Lagos Government Moves to Strengthen Local Power Supply
As residents battle worsening blackouts, the Lagos State Government has stepped in with fresh efforts to reduce dependence on the troubled national grid. In April, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu supervised the signing of power purchase agreements (PPAs) with three independent generation companies to improve electricity supply across critical public infrastructure and key communities.
The agreements involve Mainland Power Limited, Fenchurch Power Limited, and Viathan Engineering. Speaking during the signing at Lagos House, Marina, Sanwo-Olu said the new arrangements were designed to fix long-standing inefficiencies and improve reliability.
"Today at Lagos House, Marina, I witnessed the signing of three power purchase agreements designed to build on existing capacity and address what has not been working," the governor said.
According to a Premium Times report, he explained that Fenchurch Power will support major water facilities in Adiyan and Iju, while Mainland Power will continue supplying electricity to Ikeja, Oshodi, and Anthony, with room for expansion. Viathan Engineering will also maintain supply to major public facilities on Lagos Island.
"We Will No Longer Pay for Darkness" — Sanwo-Olu
Governor Sanwo-Olu stressed that the new agreements have been restructured to reflect market realities, with government payments now tied strictly to electricity actually delivered. "We will no longer pay for power that is not delivered. Payments are now tied to actual, metered supply," he said.
The Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Abiodun Ogunleye, disclosed that Lagos plans to increase generation capacity from about 60 megawatts to between 200MW and 400MW within the next two to three years through private sector investment.
Businesses, Residents Count Losses
The latest power cuts come after months of unstable electricity supply caused largely by gas shortages affecting thermal power plants nationwide. In March, Ikeja Electric had already warned that limited gas supply was significantly reducing electricity generation across Nigeria, forcing distribution companies to ration available supply.
For many residents and business owners, the consequences have been severe. Kemi Adebayo, a frozen food trader, said she now depends more on generators than public electricity. "If there is no light, my goods spoil. If I use fuel, I lose profit," she lamented.
A welder, Sani Ibrahim, described the situation as unbearable. "We spend more on diesel than on raw materials. Sometimes customers leave because we cannot deliver on time," he said.
Energy experts warn that unless Nigeria addresses persistent gas shortages, grid instability, and mounting debts in the power sector, unreliable electricity could continue to hurt businesses, households, and economic growth nationwide.
5 Lagos Communities to Enjoy Improved Power Supply
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has increased electricity supply capacity in parts of Lagos following the successful energisation of new power infrastructure at the Apapa Road Transmission Substation. In a statement released over the weekend, TCN said its Lagos Region on Friday, April 17, energised two newly installed 60MVA 132/33kV power transformers alongside associated Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) at the rehabilitated Apapa Road substation.
The upgrade raises the substation's capacity from 60MVA to 180MVA, significantly improving its ability to transmit bulk electricity to the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) for onward distribution to consumers.
