By Ejiofor Toochi
Edited by Sunkanmi Adewunmi
The Lagos State Government has commenced the installation of over 22,000 solar streetlights across Ikeja and other key roads. As dusk settles over Lagos, familiar roads that once slipped into darkness will now glow steadily.
The Lagos State Electrification Agency is implementing the project under its Light-Up Lagos Solar Streetlight Initiative, a long-running programme to light up major roads, bridges and residential corridors using renewable energy. This initiative is both a security intervention and an environmental one, aimed at reducing reliance on diesel-powered generators and grid electricity.
The solar lights operate independently of the national grid, storing energy during the day and powering themselves at night, and can function for up to two to three days without direct sunlight.
Ikeja is among the beneficiaries of the state’s solar street lighting drive, with installations spread across major roads including Governor’s Road at the Alausa Secretariat, the Accident and Emergency/7-Up Road, and sections connecting to Oshodi and Yaba.
Other roads such as Murtala Muhammed Way, Ebute-Metta, Jibowu, Market Street, Oyingbo, Iddo, Eko Bridge, Marina Bridge, Governor’s Road in Ikotun, the Lekki–Ikoyi Link Bridge, the Old Toll Gate/Olusosun–Herbert Macaulay Way axis in Yaba, and Bode Thomas Road in Surulere have also been fully lit.
Installations are also ongoing along Ikorodu Road from Anthony through Palm Grove to Fadeyi, with work also underway on Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way linking Ikeja GRA to Maryland, while projects on the Ikeja Bridge overhead section, Western Avenue, Gbagada–Oshodi Expressway, Alapere/Ogudu and Agric–Ikorodu are progressing. The Lekki–Epe Expressway is expected to be added in a later phase.
For commuters, the impact is immediate. Poorly lit roads and neighbourhoods have long been linked to street crime and accidents. In February, IkejaBird reported how many areas in Ikeja lacked streetlights, giving the perfect cover for criminal activities. The improved street lighting is expected to strengthen security by increasing visibility on roads and in public spaces, deterring criminals and helping residents and commuters feel safer moving around after dark.
