{"id":7241,"date":"2026-06-26T16:00:32","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T16:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stakebridgeirpr.com\/media\/?p=7241"},"modified":"2026-06-26T16:00:32","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T16:00:32","slug":"lagos-state-establishes-independent-electricity-operator","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stakebridgeirpr.com\/media\/lagos-state-establishes-independent-electricity-operator\/","title":{"rendered":"Lagos State Establishes Independent Electricity Operator"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Johnson Emmanuel<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Lagos State Government has constituted the governing board and management of the Lagos State Independent System Operator (LAISO), established under the Lagos State Electricity Law 2024, to operate the state’s electricity grid, administer wholesale electricity markets and oversee system reliability. Announced recently in Lagos, the move operationalises the state’s electricity market following the enactment of the new law. Mr. Biodun Ogunleye chairs the governing board, with Professor Lanre Fagbohun as Vice Chairman, while Dr Oladimeji-Yisa Taiwo serves as Managing Director. The institution will coordinate system operations, market administration, grid settlements, regulatory compliance and stakeholder engagement through a statutory Member Sector Group Committee representing market participants.<\/p>\n

DECISION HIGHLIGHT<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lagos State has moved from electricity policy formulation to institutional execution by establishing an independent market operator designed to separate system governance from commercial electricity activities, thereby creating the governance architecture required for a competitive sub-national electricity market.<\/p>\n

DECISION MEMO <\/strong><\/p>\n

The establishment of LAISO marks a structural rather than administrative reform. Following the decentralisation enabled by the Electricity Act, Lagos is building the institutional infrastructure necessary for an autonomous electricity market capable of attracting private investment while maintaining operational neutrality.<\/p>\n

Unlike conventional utilities that combine multiple market functions, an independent system operator provides neutral coordination of electricity dispatch, market settlements and grid reliability. This institutional separation reduces conflicts of interest, strengthens market confidence and creates clearer regulatory accountability.<\/p>\n

The composition of the governing board also reflects an emphasis on multidisciplinary governance rather than purely technical administration. According to the government, the board will provide strategic oversight by drawing expertise in electricity systems, engineering, finance, law, regulation, risk management and executive leadership.<\/p>\n

“The board will provide strategic direction, policy oversight, and corporate governance leadership, drawing on its collective expertise in electricity systems, engineering, finance, law, regulation, risk management, and executive leadership to guide the successful operation of LAISO.”<\/p>\n

Equally significant is the creation of the Member Sector Group Committee mandated under the Lagos State Electricity Law 2024. By incorporating transmission-dependent generators, distribution companies, embedded generators, distributed energy resource operators, grid-connected customers and other licensed participants, Lagos is institutionalising stakeholder participation within market governance instead of relying solely on government regulation.<\/p>\n

The management appointments reinforce the state’s implementation strategy. Taiwo contributes experience in financial regulation and public policy, including service at the Central Bank of Nigeria; Engineer Adetunji Adesanya, System Operator, brings over 35 years in transmission operations and grid management; while Barrister Bunmi Benson, Market Operator, contributes expertise in regulatory compliance and electricity market governance.<\/p>\n

The broader implication is that Lagos is positioning electricity governance as an economic competitiveness issue. Rather than expanding public ownership of power assets, the state is prioritising market rules, operational transparency and institutional credibility as mechanisms for improving electricity reliability.<\/p>\n

DATA BOX<\/strong><\/p>\n