The Federal Government has restored the vandalised Benin–Egbin 330kV transmission line, helping to improve electricity supply to Lagos and neighbouring states following recent disruptions.
Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, disclosed this during an interview on TVC, explaining that the recent power shortage in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and parts of Kwara State was not caused by a national grid collapse.
According to him, the disruption resulted from the simultaneous loss of two major power infrastructure assets: the Benin–Egbin transmission line, which was vandalised, and the Egbin Power Station, which was undergoing planned maintenance.
He said the two incidents led to a reduction of nearly 800 megawatts in available electricity supply, forcing operators to introduce load shedding across the affected areas.
Tegbe said the ministry immediately began working with relevant agencies to restore the damaged infrastructure, adding that the Benin–Egbin line had returned to service.
“As of yesterday, the Benin–Egbin line was restored. As of last night and this morning, the Lagos complex is receiving about 1,000 megawatts,” he said.
The minister also disclosed that Egbin Power Station’s ST1 turbine had resumed operation, while ST3 was expected to return later that day, adding about 150 megawatts to electricity supply to the Lagos complex.
Beyond the immediate repairs, Tegbe identified the restoration of the Oshogbo–Ikeja West transmission line as another important step towards improving power supply to Lagos and the Ogun corridor.
The line has been out of service for about 18 months following the vandalism of six transmission towers. According to the minister, it normally has the capacity to transmit an additional 400 megawatts to Lagos.
He said the restoration had been prioritised, although the difficult terrain, particularly swampy areas along the route, had made access and repair work challenging. The government is targeting the completion of the project by the end of November 2026.
Tegbe explained that four major transmission lines serve the Lagos electricity complex, but only three were operational at the time of the interview. He said restoring the fourth line would provide additional capacity and reduce the risk of future supply disruptions.
The minister also raised concerns over the continued vandalism of electricity infrastructure, warning that the destruction of transmission towers and other critical assets undermines efforts to improve power supply.
To tackle the problem, he said a joint task force involving the Ministry of Power, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO), the Office of the National Security Adviser, Homeland Security and other security agencies had been established.
The task force is expected to identify vulnerable locations and explore the use of drones and other surveillance technologies to monitor transmission routes and improve security.
He added that the government was working with the National Assembly to strengthen laws and ensure that those responsible for damaging critical electricity infrastructure face appropriate consequences.
Tegbe urged Nigerians to support efforts to protect power installations, noting that the destruction of even one transmission tower could affect electricity supply to thousands of homes and businesses.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving grid reliability through quicker repairs, stronger coordination among sector agencies and continued investment in the electricity sector.
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