The persistent blackout caused by the collapse of the country’s National Grid has raised concerns by many especially business owners in the commercial city of Lagos who suffer heavy losses due to these inconsistencies.
In a move to address this growing challenge, the Lagos State Government under the leadership of Babajide Sanwo-Olu has begun to search for alternative power sources.
The initiative, spearheaded by the state’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) in partnership with the Office of Public-Private Partnerships (OPPP) has opened the bidding for independent power producers and energy solution companies to apply for the establishment of gas-fired power plants.
According to the Ministry on Wednesday, the initiative’s target is to generate up to 500MW of electricity across four designated hubs in the state.
The state lamented the grid’s inability to supply the needed amount of electricity needed to serve businesses in the city.
The government revealed that while Lagos requires over 6,000 MW of electricity, the existing DisCos supply less than 2,000 MW at peak periods.
The Ministry described the electricity shortage as a pressing challenge, hence the need for urgent and sustainable alternatives to supply energy.
“The state faces pressing energy challenges due to rapid urbanization and growth in economic activities. “There is an urgent need for sustainable alternatives to the supply of energy from the national grid, which is inadequate for the entire country,” the statement read in part.
Investors King reported that barely one month after the last restoration, the National Grid suffered another collapse on Tuesday.
This collapse, according to reports, marked the tenth collapse in 2024 alone.