MTN, Flour Mills Among 38 Firms Flouting Lagos Power Rules
The Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission has named 38 companies operating across Lagos that have failed to apply for licences and the necessary regularisation despite repeated directives, raising fresh questions about compliance in the state’s emerging electricity market.
The firms, which include MTN, Flour Mills, Golden Penny, First Global Commerce Solutions Limited, African Steel Mills Nigeria Limited and Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise Limited, hold a combined generation capacity of almost 600 megawatts. LASERC said the operators, which carry various permit categories issued under the predecessor federal framework of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, have not commenced the mandatory application process required under the state’s regulatory regime.
“This is to officially notify all concerned stakeholders and the general public that the underlisted 38 licensees are yet to apply to the Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission for the necessary licensing and regularisation,” the commission said in a public notice sighted on Sunday. It added that “despite ongoing engagements, notifications, and directives issued by the Commission, the affected entities are yet to commence or complete the required application process.”
The affected licensees span captive power generation, embedded generation, independent electricity distribution network, isolated and interconnected mini-grid, and off-grid generation permits, covering industrial, commercial and distribution operations across several local government areas.
First Global Commerce Solutions Limited ranks among the largest, holding a captive permit for a 77MW plant at Railway Compound, Ebute-Meta. Flour Mills Nigeria Plc follows with a 74.5MW captive facility at Golden Penny Place, Apapa, while Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise Limited is listed for a 30MW plant at the Lagos Free Trade Zone, Ibeju-Lekki. Irele Energy LFZ Enterprise holds an embedded licence for a 50MW plant, and Geogrid Lightech Limited carries a 30MW facility at Cadbury Nigeria Limited, Agidingbi.
MTN Nigeria Communication Plc appears three times for captive plants of 3.46MW at Apapa Switch, 4.5MW at Ojota Switch Energy Centre 4, and 5.4MW at Ojota Switch Energy Centre 5. Golden Penny Power Limited also features three times, covering a 32.4MW plant at Iganmu, a 26MW facility at Tincan Island, and a 57.2MW installation at Wharf Road, Apapa, bringing its unregularised capacity to over 115MW.
Other firms named include African Steel Mills Nigeria Limited (20MW, Ikorodu), CHI Limited (14.60MW, Ajao Estate), CCK Electric Power Technology Company Limited (8.8MW, Opebi) and Uraga Power Solutions Limited (30MW, Apapa). Tarkwa Bay Green Power Freezone Enterprise and Alaro Power Free Zone Enterprise hold embedded licences of 24MW and 10MW, while Contour Global Solutions Nigeria Limited and Daybreak Power Solutions Limited hold off-grid permits, with Daybreak listed twice for plants in Ikeja and Badagry.
Among IEDN holders yet to regularise are ABV Utility Limited, Alaro Connect Free Zone Enterprise, Igboya Power LFZ Enterprise, IPL Distribution Company Limited, Ladol Integrated Logistics FZE Enterprise and Zeta Technical Services Limited. In the mini-grid category, A4&T Power Solutions Limited holds an 880kW interconnected permit in Epe, while Solad Integrated Power Solutions Limited holds a 300kW isolated permit at Balogun Modern Market.
LASERC warned that continued non-compliance could attract “sanctions or enforcement actions as provided by law,” urging the firms to comply “without further delay.” The commission derives its authority from powers granted under the Lagos State Electricity Law 2024, and in December 2024 NERC formally transferred oversight of the state’s intrastate electricity market to LASERC.
The development comes as Lagos pushes to deepen local generation. LASERC says the state requires an estimated 12,000 megawatts to meet demand but receives less than 1,000 megawatts from the national grid.