As the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) begins a 25-day maintenance of the Omotosho – Ikeja West 330kV power line on Monday, there is pressing worry about its impact on productivity and business operations in Lagos State.
The TCN in a statement said the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the National Independent System Operator (NISO) have approved the “critical infrastructure upgrade”.
“The upgrade involves the installation of Optical Ground Wire (OPGW) fibre cable on the Omotosho/Ikeja West 330kV transmission line, scheduled from July 28, 2025, to August 21, 2025 from 8 am to 5 pm,” the TCN said in a statement by its General Manager (GM), Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah.
During the period, the agency said, “power will be restored through the line after each day’s work, all other circuits will remain operational to ensure a stable power supply to the Lagos complex during the exercise”.
It said the upgrade will “enable full operationalization of the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system” and enhance the real-time monitoring and management of the power grid.
Meanwhile, the two electricity distribution companies operating in Lagos State: the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) and the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (Ikeja Electric) have informed customers about the planned upgrade.
In separate public notices, both Discos said there will be “intermittent power supply” during the period.
EKEDC wrote: “Dear Valued Customer, Kindly be informed that there will be a planned outage by our partner, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
Date: Monday, 28th July to Thursday, 21st August, 2025.
Time: 08:00 – 17:00 hrs (daily).
Reason: To enable works to be safely carried out on the Omotosho – Ikeja West 330kV power line.
Impact: Intermittent outage and load shedding across our network.
Affected Areas: Across our network coverage.”
“Dear Esteemed Customer, please be informed that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) will carry out scheduled maintenance on the Omotosho-Ikeja West 330kV transmission line from Monday, July 28, to Thursday, August 21, 2025, between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM daily.
“During this period, customers may experience intermittent power supply and load shedding across our network due to the planned TCN outage,” Ikeja Electric said.
Despite this assurance, electricity users are dreading the development and its possible impact on work and business operations in the state.
For Doyin, a remote worker in Lagos, “It appears that they are serious about this thing and I am worried it will not allow me give my all. The cost of electricity is already high not to get anything right now.”
“I just hope that this upgrade doesn’t mean blackout,” she told Business Post.