Grid failure: Lagos relies on 4.5m generators, Ogunleye says

Lagos State's energy landscape relies heavily on an estimated 4.5 million fossil-fuel generator sets, with the national grid providing only 20 percent of its electricity demand, according to Biodun Ogunleye, the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources. This extensive use of generators escalates energy expenses for businesses and residents, while simultaneously exacerbating noise and environmental pollution.

A 2024 study by Sustainable Energy for All and the Lagos State Government revealed that roughly 4.5 million generator sets operate in Lagos, generating an estimated 39 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions annually. Ogunleye described unreliable electricity as "the invisible constraint" on urban productivity, emphasizing that the scale of generator dependence has created a costly parallel energy infrastructure.

He argued that the current system, characterized by high fuel costs, noise, pollution, and inconsistent reliability, should be replaced by a serviced district with networked electricity, shared infrastructure, standardized service levels, and strategic land-use planning. Ogunleye highlighted two projects as exemplars of neighborhood-scale electricity infrastructure: Victoria Island Power, a commercial district upgrade with 40MW of planned embedded capacity and a 12.6km underground feeder network, and the Akute independent power plant, an existing 26MW asset scheduled for rehabilitation to serve public services.

To improve urban regeneration, Ogunleye proposed a six-part framework encompassing physical infrastructure, utilities, economic activity, social protection, housing, cultural heritage, and climate resilience. He stressed that reliable electricity, water, sanitation, and other essential services are crucial for transforming older cities into productive and livable urban centers.