04/05/2026
The question of why Lagos State (and other Nigerian states) didn't have its own independent power supply for so long is a great one. Itโs a mix of old laws, "federal might," and a very recent breakthrough in the Nigerian constitution.
Here is a brief breakdown of why your governors couldn't just "turn on the lights" independently until now.
# # 1. The Constitutional "Handcuffs"
For decades, the **1999 Constitution** placed electricity on the **Exclusive Legislative List**. This meant that only the Federal Government had the legal power to generate, transmit, and distribute electricity through a national grid.
* **The Restriction:** States were only allowed to generate power in areas "not covered by the national grid."
* **The Result:** Since Lagos is almost entirely covered by the grid (even if the light isn't constant), the state government was legally blocked from building its own massive, independent power network.
# # 2. The "Single Grid" Monopoly
The Federal Government managed everything through the **Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN)**. Even if Lagos State built a power plant, they were often legally required to "feed" that power into the national grid first. From there, the federal government decided where that power wentโmeaning Lagos couldn't guarantee that the power it produced would actually stay in Lagos.
# # 3. The 2023 Turning Point (The Game Changer)
President Bola Tinubu signed the **Electricity Act 2023** (following a constitutional amendment by the previous administration). This changed everything.
> **What changed?** The law moved electricity from the Exclusive List to the **Concurrent List**. Now, state governments have the legal right to:
> * Generate their own power.
> * Build their own transmission lines.
> * Regulate their own electricity markets.
>
# # 4. Why Should We Hold Governors Accountable Now?
Before 2023, a governor could honestly say, *"My hands are tied by the federal government."* **Today, that excuse is gone.** Lagos State has already moved to create its own **State Electricity Regulatory Commission**. Because the legal "walls" have been torn down, the responsibility has shifted from Abuja to the State House in Ikeja. If a state has the money and the investors, they now have the legal right to bypass the national grid entirely.
# # # Summary Table: Then vs. Now
| Feature | Old System (Pre-2023) | New System (Post-2023) |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **Legal Power** | Federal Monopoly | State & Federal Power |
| **Grid Control** | National Grid Only | State-owned Grids allowed |
| **Accountability** | The President / Minister | The Governor |
| **Lagos Status** | Dependent on Abuja | Can now be independent |
In short, the President is right to say the ball is now in the Governors' court. The legal "lock" on the power switch has been removed, and Lagos is currently working on its own independent "Lagos Electricity Market" to take advantage of these new powers.
