Lagos, Abuja and Kano shortlisted as FG plans uninterrupted electricity supply

• FG is planning special Energy Zones to provide 24-hour electricity in high-demand areas.

• Lagos, Abuja-Kaduna-Kano and Enugu-Port Harcourt corridors are among the locations targeted.

• Power Minister Joseph Tegbe says distribution remains one of the biggest challenges in Nigeria's electricity sector.

• No implementation timeline has been announced, leaving many Nigerians waiting to see when the plan will become reality.

The Federal Government has announced plans to create special Energy Zones that could finally bring steady, 24-hour electricity to some of Nigeria's biggest cities.

If the plan works, areas within the Lagos axis, the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano corridor, and the Enugu-Port Harcourt corridor could enjoy more reliable power supply than what many Nigerians currently experience.

The move was discussed during a closed-door meeting between the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, and the leadership of selected electricity distribution companies (DisCos).

According to a statement released on Wednesday by the minister's media aide, Adeola Adelabu, the proposed Energy Zones are meant to improve electricity supply to homes, businesses and industries where demand for power is highest.

The statement said:

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"In furtherance of the Federal Government's commitment to deliver reliable electricity to Nigerians, the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has held a strategic closed-door meeting with the leadership of select electricity distribution companies over the proposed Energy Zones, designed to deliver stable, 24-hour power supply to homes, businesses and industries in the country's highest-demand areas, namely Lagos axis, Abuja-Kaduna-Kano and Enugu-Port-Harcourt."

According to the government, the problem with electricity in Nigeria is no longer just about generating or transmitting power. It is also about whether distribution companies have enough capacity to receive that electricity from the national grid and deliver it to customers without wasting it.

Speaking during the meeting, Tegbe said:

"The constraint on the sector is not limited to generation and transmission but includes how much power is taken up and delivered at the distribution end."

He explained that the proposed Energy Zones are expected to bridge that gap, support industries that need constant electricity, and also help electricity distribution companies improve revenue collection.

The minister also said the Federal Government remains committed to expanding electricity infrastructure in areas with growing commercial and industrial activities so that power supply can match Nigeria's economic growth.

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For now, however, the government has not announced when the project will begin, how much electricity the zones will receive, or the infrastructure that will be built to make the 24-hour supply possible.

The initiative is part of Tegbe's strategy for tackling Nigeria's long-running electricity challenges after taking office. It also supports President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda, which sees stable electricity as a key driver of economic growth, industrialisation and job creation.

Among those present at the meeting were representatives of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), Ikeja Electric, Eko Power, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), and Sahara Energy Group.

For millions of Nigerians who have endured years of blackouts, expensive petrol and diesel, and soaring electricity bills despite poor supply, the announcement offers fresh hope. Whether the proposed Energy Zones will finally deliver round-the-clock power is something many Nigerians will be watching closely.