The project would not only improve the quality of electricity supply but also support industrial and commercial activities and contribute to the economic productivity of Lagos State
By Moses Okorie
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has completed major upgrades at two key transmission substations in Lagos, adding substantial bulk electricity capacity to the network serving some of the state’s busiest industrial, commercial and residential districts.
The upgraded Apapa Road and Ijora 132/33kV substations were formally commissioned on Monday, August 17, 2026, by the Minister of Power, Mr. Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, as part of ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to strengthen the country’s electricity transmission infrastructure.
At the Apapa Road substation, TCN installed and energised two 60MVA transformers and deployed modern Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS), raising the facility’s capacity from 60MVA to 180MVA.
Speaking during the ceremony, TCN Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, said the expansion would provide additional bulk electricity to the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) for distribution to customers across key parts of Lagos.
He listed Apapa Causeway, Ijora, Amukoko, Ajegunle, Apapa Wharf and Tin Can Island among the areas expected to benefit from the increased transmission capacity.
According to him, the project would not only improve the quality of electricity supply but also support industrial and commercial activities and contribute to the economic productivity of Lagos State.
Abdulaziz said the Apapa Road upgrade was sponsored by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), in partnership with TCN, and executed by Takaoka Engineering Co. Ltd. under the Emergency Rehabilitation and Reinforcement of Lagos Transmission Substations project.
He noted that the Federal Government and JICA signed the grant agreement for the project on November 23, 2018, with implementation commencing in 2019.
The TCN boss expressed appreciation to the Federal Government, the Ministry of Power, Lagos State Government, JICA, the Government of Japan, contractors and TCN personnel for their roles in delivering the project.
At Ijora, Tegbe commissioned two new 100MVA transformers, replacing two of the existing 30MVA units at the 132/33kV transmission substation.
The intervention increased the substation’s total installed capacity from 90MVA to 230MVA, equivalent to an increase in available transmission capacity from about 72MW to 184MW.
The minister said the project would provide an additional 112MW of bulk transmission capacity, significantly improving electricity supply to Ijora, Costain, Oyingbo, Customs and surrounding communities within the EKEDC franchise area.
Tegbe described Ijora as one of Lagos’ most strategically important electricity corridors because of its concentration of industries, ports, commercial centres and communities.
He said the Federal Government’s objective was not merely to generate more electricity but to develop a power system capable of reliably delivering available electricity to consumers.
The minister acknowledged the contribution of TCN, the Nigerian Independent System Operator, World Bank, Shanghai Electric Group Company Limited and other development and technical partners to the project.
He also commended the engineers, technicians, contractors and other professionals whose efforts contributed to the successful completion of the upgrades.
The projects, he said, demonstrated the administration’s commitment to removing longstanding structural constraints in the power sector and providing infrastructure capable of supporting Nigeria’s economic growth.
The twin interventions are expected to strengthen Lagos’ transmission network, reduce supply constraints and provide greater electricity capacity to businesses, industries and households across the affected areas.