By Benson Daniel
The Federal Government has set a target of comfortably wheeling 6,000 megawatts of electricity through the national grid before December 2026 as part of efforts to strengthen power supply and address transmission bottlenecks across the country.
The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, disclosed the target in Lagos while commissioning two new 100 megavolt ampere, 132/33 kilovolt power transformers at the Ijora Transmission Substation.
Tegbe said the government planned to commission 20 transmission projects across the country before the end of the year, stressing that increasing electricity generation would have limited impact if the available power could not be transmitted reliably to consumers.
The minister said the immediate priority was to strengthen the transmission network so that more electricity generated by power plants could be evacuated and delivered to distribution companies.
Nigeria’s transmission system currently has a wheeling capacity of about 8,500MW, while actual power generation has generally remained around 5,000MW. The government’s new target therefore places emphasis not only on generation but also on improving the ability of the grid to transmit available electricity.
Tegbe said the government’s plan to commission 20 transmission projects before the end of 2026 was designed to remove bottlenecks and improve the reliability of electricity delivery.
The commissioning of the upgraded Ijora substation represents part of that strategy. The facility serves important industrial and commercial areas around Apapa, Ijora, Amukoko, Ajegunle and Tin Can Island within the Eko Electricity Distribution Company network.
The Ijora upgrade increased the substation’s installed capacity from 90MVA to 230MVA following the replacement of two existing 30MVA transformers with two 100MVA transformers. The project was supported through a grant intervention by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
Another upgraded substation on Apapa Road was also unveiled as part of the government’s efforts to improve electricity supply to industrial and commercial users in Lagos.
The projects are expected to strengthen power delivery to businesses operating within one of Nigeria’s major industrial corridors, where unreliable electricity supply has long increased operating costs and dependence on alternative sources of power.
The Federal Government has increasingly identified transmission constraints as one of the major challenges limiting improvements in Nigeria’s electricity supply. Even when additional generation becomes available, inadequate transmission capacity can prevent the electricity from reaching distribution networks and end users.
The latest target therefore represents an attempt to address the different components of the power supply chain simultaneously.
For businesses, particularly manufacturers and other electricity intensive operators, improved grid reliability could reduce dependence on diesel and other expensive alternative sources of energy.
The government’s target also comes amid broader efforts to attract investment into the electricity sector and improve the financial sustainability of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.
However, achieving the 6,000MW wheeling target will depend on the successful completion of the planned transmission projects, availability of sufficient generation and gas supply, as well as effective coordination among generation, transmission and distribution companies.
The government is also expected to maintain attention on distribution infrastructure so that additional electricity transmitted through the national grid can ultimately reach consumers.
The minister’s announcement has therefore placed renewed focus on the need to move beyond generation targets and develop an electricity system capable of delivering reliable power to homes, businesses and industries.
If achieved, the 6,000MW wheeling target could represent an important step towards improving electricity availability and supporting economic activity across Nigeria.
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