The Lagos State Government has unveiled plans to increase electricity supply by 2,000 megawatts (MW) by March 2027, as it intensifies efforts to address the state’s persistent power shortages through private-sector investment and regulatory reforms.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu disclosed this on Wednesday at the Lagos Energy Summit 2026, themed “Lagos Energy Evolution: Transforming the Future.”
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin, the governor said unreliable electricity and rising energy costs continued to undermine businesses, manufacturers and households across the state.
He said his administration was committed to improving power infrastructure, strengthening regulatory frameworks and encouraging greater private-sector participation to guarantee reliable electricity.
Sanwo-Olu stressed the need for stakeholders to move beyond policy discussions and deliver practical solutions capable of transforming the state’s energy sector.
Providing details of the government’s strategy, the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Biodun Ogunleye, said the state was engaging approximately 22 investors to conclude transactions in the electricity sector.
He added that Lagos was also working with the Federal Government to resolve outstanding bottlenecks relating to Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), which are critical to attracting investments and expanding electricity generation.
According to him, the state’s intervention will cover generation, transmission and distribution, alongside the automation of energy infrastructure to tackle electricity theft and vandalism.
Ogunleye said Lagos was also exploring alternative energy sources, including solar, wind and hydropower, as part of efforts to diversify its electricity supply.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Ibilola Kasunmu, highlighted the scale of the state’s electricity deficit, noting that Lagos, with an estimated population of 22 million, requires approximately 6,000MW to meet its energy needs.
However, she said the state currently receives less than 1,000MW from the national grid.
Kasunmu attributed the shortfall to inadequate electricity generation, gas supply constraints, weak transmission infrastructure and inefficient collection systems.
She said the government was pursuing embedded power generation, waste-to-energy projects and collaboration with federal authorities through a joint technical working committee to bridge the supply gap.
The proposed 2,000MW addition is expected to form a major part of Lagos’ strategy to improve electricity access, reduce dependence on the national grid and support its growing industrial and commercial activities.