Key points
- EKEDP says ongoing TCN upgrade works and repeated cable vandalism are disrupting power supply in Festac and neighbouring communities.
- The utility has completed a new feeder to improve supply but is awaiting TCN approval before energising it.
- Police have arrested suspected vandals following complaints by the company.
- EKEDP says it is investing in network upgrades and engaging stakeholders to restore stable electricity.
Main story
Eko Electricity Distribution Plc (EKEDP) says ongoing upgrades on the national transmission network and persistent vandalism of underground cables are responsible for the prolonged electricity disruptions affecting customers in Festac Town, Amuwo Odofin and adjoining communities.
The distribution company said it is implementing network improvement projects to restore more reliable electricity supply while working with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to complete the process.
General Manager, Corporate Communications, Abiola Aloba, said in a statement on Wednesday that vandalism had become a major operational challenge, describing the Festac axis as the worst affected area across the company’s network.
To improve supply reliability, EKEDP said it had completed and commissioned the new Festac 3 Feeder from the Ojo Transmission Station, which is expected to provide an alternative electricity source for the area.
However, the company said the feeder cannot be energised until final load-balancing is completed and approval is received from TCN.
EKEDP also disclosed that electricity supply had been partially restored on the Festac 1 33kV feeder after engineers isolated a faulty underground cable.
The company said technical teams are continuing daily repair work to identify and fix the remaining faults affecting the network.
Aloba said EKEDP had invested significantly in upgrading the Festac electricity network and planned to sustain investments aimed at improving service delivery.
The company also confirmed that it had reported repeated cable vandalism to the Lagos State Police Command, leading to the arrest of suspected vandals who are currently in police custody.
EKEDP said it had maintained regular consultations with residents, community leaders, local government officials and other stakeholders to provide updates on restoration efforts.
While acknowledging residents’ right to peaceful protest, the company appealed for demonstrations to remain lawful and not result in damage to electricity infrastructure.
The issues
Electricity distribution companies continue to face multiple challenges, including transmission constraints, ageing infrastructure and vandalism of power assets. These factors often prolong outages even after repairs are completed, affecting service reliability for consumers.
What’s being said
“The recent power supply challenges in the area are largely due to ongoing upgrade works on the national transmission network.”
“The feeder is currently awaiting final load-balancing arrangements and approval from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) before it is energised.”
Bottom line
EKEDP says network upgrades and anti-vandalism efforts are underway, but restoring stable electricity to Festac and surrounding communities will also depend on the completion of TCN’s transmission work and continued protection of power infrastructure.
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