The Federal and Lagos State Governments have agreed to work jointly to deliver stable and reliable electricity across the Lagos corridor under the 24/7 Energy Zones pilot approved by President Bola Tinubu.

The agreement was reached yesterday during a high-level technical session between the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the Lagos House, Marina, as both sides moved to address persistent electricity supply challenges affecting households, businesses and industries in the state.

The Lagos corridor is the first of the three areas listed under the pilot scheme, which will also cover the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano and Enugu-Port Harcourt corridors, creating a framework for extending more reliable electricity supply to major commercial and industrial centres nationwide.

Tegbe said the Federal Ministry of Power had engaged the electricity distribution companies operating along the Lagos corridor and secured their commitment to offtake more electricity and provide steady and reliable supply to customers.

He also expressed the ministry’s readiness to collaborate with the Lagos State Government across the four ministerial priority areas approved by the President, grid stabilisation, market liquidity, grid expansion, and governance and regulatory harmonisation.

The minister said the collaboration would be anchored on practical measures to address the technical, commercial and regulatory challenges that have continued to constrain electricity supply.

Sanwo-Olu, in his remarks, commended the federal delegation for what he described as its seriousness in tackling the challenges confronting the power sector.

The governor said Tegbe had, since assuming office as Minister of Power, demonstrated the willingness and capacity to address lingering problems in the sector.

Sanwo-Olu said Lagos State was equally committed to the collaboration, stressing the need for both levels of government to develop pragmatic solutions that would make the electricity market work for Nigerians, particularly residents and businesses in Lagos State.

He said the objective was to create a bankable, collaborative and competitive electricity market in Lagos.

However, as part of efforts to translate the agreement into concrete action, Tegbe announced the constitution of a joint technical committee to resolve outstanding issues and recommend the next steps required to implement the 24/7 energy zones initiative in Lagos.

He stressed that the committee would report to a steering committee headed by Sanwo-Olu and co-chaired by Tegbe.