The Lagos State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Biodun Ogunleye, has lamented that the state’s effort to control electricity is being frustrated by electricity distribution companies in the state.

The commissioner made this known in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Monday, when quizzed on the state’s bid to completely transition into a power-generating state and determine tariffs for residents.

His comments also followed the move by the Enugu Electricity Regulatory Commission, which has issued a new tariff order to MainPower Electricity Distribution Limited, revising the electricity cost for Band A customers from N209 per kilowatt-hour to N160/kWh, effective August 1, 2025.

The commissioner noted that the state was studying what Enugu had done, but lamented that the Discos in the state were not cooperating with the government.

“You know we are battling with our Discos, they are not in agreement with anything we are doing, and the Discos are the ones behind this amendment bill that is in the Senate,” he said.

He explained that, unlike Enugu, the efforts to negotiate things are “increasingly difficult” but noted that Lagos would soon announce its tariff plan from next week.

When asked when Lagos would completely transition to generating its electricity, Ogunleye said, “You see that we have done everything that is required, but we don’t have the cooperation of the Discos.”

“They are the challenge,” he added. “You know, we have to find an intelligent solution to putting this across. They will tell you that they are in a meeting and discussing, but they are not doing anything.”

The PUNCH reports that on Monday, more states with independent electricity regulatory powers indicated interest in slashing tariffs like their Enugu counterpart.

Recently, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission disclosed that seven states now control their electricity markets following the Electricity Act 2023.

The states are Enugu, Ondo, Ekiti, Imo, Oyo, Edo, and Kogi. Other states, including Lagos, Ogun, Niger, and Plateau, are expected to complete their transitions between now and September.

The Lagos State Government, in May 2025, unveiled plans to deploy smart grids as part of a new electricity road map aimed at delivering a stable and efficient power supply to residents.

The initiative, anchored on the Lagos State Electricity Law, 2024, signed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in December, aims to empower the state to establish and regulate its electricity market, spanning generation, transmission, distribution, and trading of electricity.

Ogunleye noted at a press briefing in Alausa, Ikeja, that the new law represented a turning point in the state’s power sector and set the foundation for modern, technology-driven energy solutions. (The PUNCH)