The Federal Government has commissioned the upgraded 2×60MVA, 132/33kV Gas Insulated Substation (GIS) at Apapa Road, Lagos, adding 120MVA of transformer capacity and strengthening bulk electricity supply to one of Nigeria’s major industrial and commercial corridors.
The Minister of Power, Mr. Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, formally commissioned the facility on Monday, August 17, 2026, on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing the project as a strategic investment in the electricity infrastructure required to drive industrial competitiveness and economic growth.
The upgrade has increased the total transformation capacity of the Apapa Road substation from 60MVA to 180MVA, while increasing bulk power availability in the axis by approximately 96 megawatts.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Tegbe said the project went beyond the completion of an engineering facility, describing it as an investment in one of the most economically important corridors in Nigeria.
“Apapa is not an ordinary electricity load centre. It is one of the commanding heights of the Nigerian economy,” the minister said.
He noted that the Apapa corridor accommodates major port operations, maritime services, logistics businesses, manufacturing facilities, warehouses, commercial enterprises and supporting industries whose activities have economic implications far beyond Lagos State.
According to him, the original Apapa Road GIS Substation was commissioned in 1985 and served Apapa and surrounding communities for many years before ageing infrastructure and the decommissioning of the original GIS facility resulted in the use of an outdoor 60MVA transformer as a temporary arrangement.
Tegbe said the Federal Government subsequently secured the support of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) under its Official Development Assistance programme for the rehabilitation and reinforcement of the existing 132/33/11kV Apapa Road Transmission Substation.
The completed project comprises a modern Gas Insulated Substation equipped with two 60MVA, 132/33kV power transformers, new 132kV and 33kV GIS switchgear, a new control building, modern protection and control systems, as well as Substation Automation System (SAS) and SCADA infrastructure.
The minister said the additional capacity would enable the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) to receive more bulk electricity for onward distribution to customers across its franchise area, particularly in Apapa Causeway, Ijora, Amukoko, Ajegunle, Apapa Wharf and Tin Can Island.
Tegbe linked the project to President Tinubu’s ambition of transforming Nigeria into a one-trillion-dollar economy, stressing that reliable electricity was fundamental to achieving the objective.
He said the Federal Government was determined to strengthen critical substations, reinforce transmission corridors, remove bottlenecks and chokepoints, improve system resilience and create the capacity required to evacuate and deliver available electricity to consumers.
“Electricity sits at the heart of that ambition,” Tegbe said.
He added that the administration’s objective was to build an electricity system where investment decisions would be driven by economic opportunity rather than infrastructure constraints.
The minister expressed appreciation to the Government and people of Japan and JICA for supporting the project through Japan’s Official Development Assistance programme.
He particularly acknowledged Japan’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Hideo Suzuki, and JICA Chief Representative in Nigeria, Ishigame Keiji, for their commitment to the successful delivery of the project.
Tegbe also commended Toyota Tsusho Corporation and Takaoka Engineering Company Limited, which executed the project, as well as Yachiyo Engineering Company Limited, which provided supervision.
He praised the engineers, project managers, technicians, consultants, artisans and other Nigerian and Japanese professionals whose expertise and dedication contributed to the completion of the project.
The minister further commended the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) for its technical leadership and commitment to strengthening the national transmission network.
Earlier, TCN Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, said the project represented a significant milestone in the modernisation of Nigeria’s transmission infrastructure.
Abdulaziz said the installation and energisation of the two new 60MVA transformers, alongside the deployment of modern GIS technology, had tripled the substation’s capacity from 60MVA to 180MVA.
He said the upgrade would significantly increase the quantum of bulk power available to EKEDC for onward delivery to customers across critical commercial and industrial areas in Lagos.
The TCN chief said the project was delivered by Takaoka Engineering Co. Ltd. under the Emergency Rehabilitation and Reinforcement of Lagos Transmission Substations project.
He disclosed that the grant agreement between the Federal Government of Nigeria and JICA was signed on November 23, 2018, while implementation commenced in 2019 following preparatory surveys and grant mobilisation by Yachiyo Engineering Co. Ltd.
Abdulaziz expressed appreciation to President Tinubu, the Minister of Power, the Lagos State Government, JICA, the Government of Japan, the Federal Ministry of Power, the Federal Ministry of Finance, TCN engineers, contractors and other stakeholders for their contributions to the successful completion of the project.
He also appealed for similar grant support for other critical sections of Nigeria’s transmission network, saying such interventions would enable TCN to sustain and optimise transmission operations across the country.
The commissioning of the Apapa Road facility formed part of a broader Federal Government push to expand transmission capacity in Lagos. The government also commissioned an upgraded Ijora transmission facility, with the two projects collectively adding 208MW of bulk transmission capacity in the Lagos axis.
The ceremony was attended by senior officials of the Federal Government, the Lagos State Government, JICA, the Japanese government, TCN, EKEDC and other stakeholders, alongside traditional rulers and representatives of host communities.
Tegbe subsequently formally commissioned the 2×60MVA, 132/33kV GIS substation and its associated facilities, dedicated the project to the people of Lagos, businesses and industries, host communities and Nigerians whose prosperity remains central to the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The project is expected to strengthen transmission reliability and provide additional electricity capacity to support industrial and commercial activities in the Apapa corridor, one of Nigeria’s key economic gateways.
