Given the irregular electricity supply in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, Governor Babatunde Sanwo-Olu has promised to establish a $150m Lithium Battery Assembly Plant at Lekki Free Trade Zone and vowed to set up a Renewable Energy University to boost local skills and innovation.

He spoke through his Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, noting that power shortages have hurt many businesses and that new investments was necessary to help cut reliance on over 4 million diesel generators used locally.

Project Initiatives

The governor signed a memorandum of understanding with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) during the Lagos State Energy Summit this past weekend. Through the MoU, the state will expand access to clean energy by powering public institutions with rooftop solar systems.

The agreement is a milestone under the REA’s State-by-State Initiative and supports the Federal Government’s push to deepen sub-national electricity access under the 2023 Electricity Act.

Governor Sanwo Olu stressed the importance of this new approach by saying, “We have excess power generation but it’s misdirected and not evenly distributed. This collaboration with REA will help bridge that gap.”

REA Partnership and Implementation

REA’s Managing Director/CEO, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, announced major projects under the new agreement. He revealed plans for Nigeria’s first floating solar PV plant (8MW) to power Lagos State University.

“These efforts are designed to empower local developers and build a robust market for Renewable Energy Service Companies (RESCOs) across the country,” he said.

REA remains committed to fostering local manufacturing and innovation, ensuring sustainable power access.

The agency, established under the Electric Power Sector Reform Act of 2005, is working on several initiatives like the Rural Electrification Fund, Nigeria Electrification Project, Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES), and the National Public Sector Solarisation Initiative (NPSSI).

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