The Ijora Power Station in Lagos is one of the oldest electricity plants in Nigeria and a landmark in the country’s early power infrastructure. It was developed in four major phases, each reflecting Nigeria’s gradual transition through different systems of electricity generation.
The first phase was commissioned in 1923 under the Public Works Department (PWD). This initial stage relied on coal-fired boilers, which supplied electricity mainly to Lagos Island and its surrounding areas. It represented one of the earliest attempts at centralized electricity generation in colonial Nigeria.
The second phase, known as Ijora “B”, was conceived in the late 1940s as electricity demand grew in Lagos. This phase replaced coal with oil-fired boilers, marking Nigeria’s transition from solid to liquid fuel power generation. It was officially commissioned by Queen Elizabeth II on 20 February 1956 during her historic state visit to Nigeria
The third phase came in the early 1960s, when expansion works were carried out to further boost capacity. This was during Nigeria’s early independence period, when electricity supply was being reorganized under the Electricity Corporation of Nigeria (ECN).
The fourth and final phase was completed in 1978, introducing gas turbines into the station’s operations. This addition reflected Nigeria’s increasing reliance on natural gas as a fuel source, especially after the oil boom of the 1970s.
For decades, Ijora remained a central part of Lagos’s electricity supply before newer power stations and the national grid reduced its prominence.
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