Nigeria is targeting a major expansion of its electricity transmission capacity, with the Federal Government setting a goal of wheeling 6,000 megawatts through the national grid before December 2026. The move is aimed at addressing one of the key challenges in the power sector — the ability to move available electricity to consumers.

Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, announced the target in Lagos while commissioning two 100MVA, 132/33kV transformers at the Ijora Transmission Substation. The upgrade increased the substation’s installed capacity from 90MVA to 230MVA, providing additional capacity for electricity distribution within one of Lagos’ major commercial corridors.

The Ijora facility serves communities and economic centres including Ijora, Costain, Oyigbo, Customs and Ajegunle, as well as businesses operating within the Eko Electricity Distribution Company franchise area. The minister said the location’s growing population and industrial activity had made the previous infrastructure inadequate.

Tegbe also announced plans to commission 20 transmission projects before the end of 2026. He stressed that increasing generation without sufficient transmission infrastructure would not resolve Nigeria’s electricity challenges, as available power must be moved reliably to areas where it is needed.

The Federal Government is also pursuing solutions outside the national grid. The World Bank has approved an additional 200-million-dollar financing package under the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-Up project to support solar mini-grids and other decentralised renewable energy systems, particularly in communities where conventional grid expansion is difficult or uneconomical.

The off-grid intervention is expected to support households, businesses and public institutions while creating opportunities for renewable-energy companies and mini-grid developers. The programme has so far reached about 5.3 million Nigerians against a target of 16.2 million, while solar home-system deployments have reached 1.046 million of a projected 2.75 million.

The twin approach — expanding the national transmission network while scaling up decentralised power — reflects the government’s effort to tackle electricity supply from both ends of the system. For businesses and households still dependent on petrol and diesel generators because of unreliable supply, the success of these investments will ultimately be measured by whether more dependable and affordable electricity reaches consumers.