LASG Moves To Boost Electricity Supply To Residents

As part of actualizing its development agenda of a twenty-first century economy, the Lagos State Government has taken delivery of the Off-Grid Electrification Strategy and Action Plan.

The Off-Grid Electrification Strategy
and Action Plan was developed to support the implementation of the State Electricity Policy aimed at creating a viable sub-national electricity sector that caters fully to the needs of residents and enabling significant socio-economic growth for the State

During the ceremony in Alausa Ikeja, the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr Olalere Odusote explained that the strategy and action plan, specific to Off-Grid Solutions, OGS, particularly Solar energy, was aimed at attracting investments into the energy sector.

Pointing out that the State has not been  getting the required energy off the national grid, Mr Odusote noted that residents have been bridging the shortfall with other sources of energy and the Off-Grid
Electrification Strategy and Action Plan, would enable them access cheaper and cleaner energy

Mr Odusote said “We receive about eight hundred mega watts from the grid and in our opinion we believe about four thousand mega watts is generated and utilized in Lagos using off grid generation method”.

“What we are doing is centralizing administration and ensuring that it becomes cheaper for them (residents) to be able to access the off grid energy sources they are currently utilizing, we are trying to help them aggregate their demand and their procurement sources such that we can bring the prices down significantly  and  make it easier and affordable for Lagosians”.

Handing over the document to the Commissioner, the Country Manager, Africa Clean Energy, Mr Chibuikem Agbaegbu, who said the project was carried out with support from the UK government for some States in Nigeria, including Lagos, explained that technical assistance would be rendered to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources in implementing the policy for the benefits of unserved and underserved communities.

“We had an MOU with Lagos State Government to support the state Government electrification plan to improve electricity access to citizens and part of our commitment was to support the development of the policy environment for the state government”.
“We worked closely with the Lagos State Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to develop the Lagos State Electricity Policy and have now worked collaboratively to develop this electrification strategy and action plan that will support the implementation of this Policy” He said

The Lagos State Electrification Agency will be  responsible for integrating OGS and implementing the action plan.

By Omolara Omosanya