FG Commissions Upgraded Ijora, Apapa Substations, Adds 208MW to Grid in Lagos

The Federal Government has commissioned upgraded transmission substations in Ijora and Apapa, Lagos, adding 208 megawatts of bulk transmission capacity to the national grid.

The projects were commissioned on Monday as part of efforts by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to tackle longstanding infrastructure challenges affecting Nigeria’s power sector.

At the Ijora transmission substation, two new 100MVA transformers increased the facility’s capacity from 90MVA to 230MVA. The upgrade represents an additional 112MW of transmission capacity.

At Apapa Road, the government commissioned a new Gas Insulated Substation (GIS), adding 96MW to the facility’s capacity. The new installation replaced an outdoor transformer that had served as a temporary solution after the original substation, commissioned in 1985, was decommissioned.

Speaking during the commissioning, Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, said the projects were part of the Federal Government’s response to years of transmission limitations and deterioration of critical electricity infrastructure.

Tegbe described President Tinubu as demonstrating a “fearless commitment to addressing the structural constraints that have held our economy back.”

He said strengthening the transmission network was essential to the administration’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy, noting that reliable electricity supply would support businesses, industries and economic growth.

The minister also commended Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his support for the projects.

Tegbe said the Ministry of Power would continue to strengthen transmission infrastructure across the country in order to address the gap between electricity generation and the capacity of the national grid to evacuate available power.

According to power sector officials, insufficient transmission capacity has repeatedly resulted in generated electricity being stranded because the grid could not transmit it to areas where it was required.

In his address at the Apapa facility, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, said the installation and energisation of two new 60MVA transformers and modern Gas Insulated Switchgear had significantly expanded the substation.

He said the Apapa facility’s capacity had increased from 60MVA to 180MVA, effectively tripling its previous capacity.

With the upgrades, the Ijora and Apapa facilities are expected to improve electricity transmission capacity across Lagos, one of Nigeria’s major commercial and industrial centres.

The Federal Government said the investments would help strengthen the transmission network and support efforts to ensure that available generation can reach consumers more efficiently.