Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, has raised concerns over the outrageous electricity bills being issued by electricity distribution companies (DisCos), describing them as unjust and exploitative.
Hamzat speaking at a roundtable in Victoria Island, organized to seal a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Lagos State Government and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) for rural electrification, Hamzat revealed that his official residence was billed a staggering N29 million for April — a massive jump from N2.7 million billed the previous month.
He also lamented the difficulty in switching to prepaid metering despite having paid for one, accusing the electricity provider, Eko DisCo, of frustrating the process.
“People that are trying to survive, and the common denominator for them is power. They don’t have power. There are billing challenges. I’m a very good example,” Hamzat said. “Last month, in my house, the official residence—the bill was N2.7 million. This month, Eko DisCo sent a bill of N29 million. It’s crazy. I bought a meter to avoid estimated billing, but getting it installed has been a struggle.”
Hamzat also recounted similar experiences from residents of the Coker Aguda area in Surulere, where a tenant received a bill of N2.8 million—more than his annual rent of N2 million.
“How can the electricity bill be more than someone’s rent? These are the real struggles of our people. Our people are suffering because of estimated billing,” he stated.
Despite the challenges, the Deputy Governor praised Lagos State Commissioner for Energy, Biodun Ogunleye, for securing the partnership with the REA, which aims to solarize underserved and rural communities in Lagos.
Commissioner Ogunleye, speaking at the event, said the collaboration with REA is a game-changer for communities that have never experienced a consistent power supply.
“I am delighted that REA has been to several states, but when you’re not in Lagos, you’re not yet there,” he said, emphasizing the transformative potential of the partnership.
Managing Director of REA, Abba Aliyu, revealed that specific communities have already been identified to benefit from the electrification project. He also disclosed plans to build an 8-megawatt floating solar power plant at the University of Lagos, pending state government approval.
The MoU between Lagos and REA is expected to open a new chapter in clean and stable electricity supply for communities that have long remained off-grid.
