Lagos deploys 22,000 solar streetlights

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, says the government is adopting renewable energy to power its street lights.

The governor said in one year, the majority of the streetlights in Lagos would be powered by solar.

Represented by the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Biodun Ogunleye, at the NAPE 2024 Conference, Sanwo-Olu disclosed that 22,000 of such streetlights had been committed already.

“I can disclose that within the next year, most of our streetlights in Lagos will be powered by solar. We have committed to about 22,000 already. We are going to see solar streetlights that can work even when there’s no clear cloud for two to three days, that shows some of our commitments,“ he said.

Sanwo-Olu said there is a need to expand energy capacity while minimising environmental impact.

He added that sustainable growth strategies such as adopting cleaner technologies and investing in renewable energy sources ensure that the industry supports long-term ecological balance and resource preservation.

“Affordability remains a critical factor as high energy costs affect everything from household budget to industrial competitiveness. By driving down the cost of energy production and improving distribution efficiency, Nigeria can make energy more accessible to all citizens and strengthen a global position,“ the governor said.

He added that 1,000 megawatts of renewable energy is currently being harvested in the Lagos electricity market.

“I can also provide some further information that we have. Right now, EOIs are harvesting 1,000MW of renewable energy in the Lagos space for the Lagos electricity market. Additional 2,000MW of capacity is also being procured right now for the market,“ Sanwo-Olu said, calling for more expression of interest in the electricity market.