The Federal Government has begun talks with electricity distribution companies over plans to establish Energy Zones designed to deliver 24-hour electricity supply to homes, businesses and industries in Nigeria’s major economic centres.
The proposed initiative will initially target three major corridors — the Lagos axis, Abuja-Kaduna-Kano and the Enugu-Port Harcourt corridor — as part of efforts to tackle persistent distribution challenges and improve access to reliable electricity.
The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, disclosed the development after a closed-door meeting with the management of selected electricity distribution companies.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the minister’s media aide, Adeola Adelabu, the meeting focused on developing a framework for delivering stable power to areas with high electricity demand.
“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,” the statement said.
The government said the zones are intended to ensure that electricity generated and transmitted through the national grid can be more effectively received and delivered to consumers, particularly businesses and industries operating in high-demand areas.
Tegbe said the challenge confronting Nigeria’s power sector was not limited to generation and transmission, but also extended to the ability of distribution companies to take up available electricity and deliver it efficiently to customers.
“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,” the minister said.
He added that the proposed Energy Zones could help close the gap between available electricity and actual consumption, while also unlocking additional commercial and industrial demand.
According to the minister, the initiative could improve the revenue and collection performance of distribution companies by creating areas where electricity supply is more reliable and demand is concentrated.
The Federal Government also reaffirmed its intention to expand electricity infrastructure in areas with significant demand, stressing that power supply capacity must increase alongside Nigeria’s growing economy.
The proposed Energy Zones are expected to prioritise locations where dependable electricity is critical to manufacturing, commerce and other productive activities.
However, the government has yet to announce a specific implementation timeline, the electricity capacity to be allocated to each zone or the infrastructure investments required to achieve the proposed 24-hour supply.
The engagement forms part of Tegbe’s stated approach to tackling the power sector’s longstanding challenges through a phased and structured strategy.
The initiative also falls within President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which identifies reliable electricity supply as a key component of economic growth, industrialisation and job creation.
Representatives of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, Ikeja Electric, Eko Power, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company and Sahara Energy Group attended the meeting.
The proposed Energy Zones come amid continuing concerns over electricity reliability across Nigeria and the ability of distribution companies to efficiently deliver available power to homes, businesses and industries.
