The Japanese Government, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has committed ₦20 billion to the expansion and rehabilitation of Nigeria’s national electricity grid, with the Apapa Transmission Substation in Lagos among the major beneficiaries.
JICA Chief Representative in Nigeria, Ishigame Keiji, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Wednesday.
Apapa Substation Gets Upgrade
Keiji said the 2.35 billion Japanese yen intervention would fund construction, equipment procurement, engineering services, operational training and other activities required for the project.
According to him, the investment is designed to strengthen critical transmission infrastructure in Lagos, where rising electricity demand and ageing facilities have continued to put pressure on the power system.
He said rehabilitation work at the Apapa substation had increased transmission capacity, improved reliability and reduced bottlenecks affecting electricity evacuation and distribution across Lagos and neighbouring areas.
Lagos, Ogun Transmission Network
Japan, through JICA, is also implementing a separate concessional-loan project aimed at improving the transmission network across Lagos and Ogun states.
The projects are expected to support the movement of more electricity through the transmission network and improve the reliability of supply to areas facing increasing demand.
Keiji said JICA would also provide technical assistance and policy advisers to the Federal Ministry of Power to support reforms and strengthen the development of Nigeria’s electricity sector.
“The Government of Japan, through JICA, is collaborating with the Ministry of Power to enhance stable and reliable power supply in Nigeria,” he said.
JICA Seeks More Private Investment
The JICA representative said Japanese companies and other private investors remained interested in Nigeria because of the country’s large consumer market.
He called for stronger government support and greater private-sector participation to help attract more investment into the electricity industry.
JICA is also working with the World Bank on mini-grid development, particularly for rural communities, while deploying experts to support policy and institutional reforms in Nigeria’s power sector.
The intervention comes as Nigeria continues efforts to address transmission constraints and improve electricity supply across the country.
