By Adedapo Adesanya

As the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) begins a 25-day maintenance of the Omotosho – Ikeja West 330kV power line on Monday, there is pressing worry about its impact on productivity and business operations in Lagos State.

The TCN in a statement said the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the National Independent System Operator (NISO) have approved the “critical infrastructure upgrade”.

“The upgrade involves the installation of Optical Ground Wire (OPGW) fibre cable on the Omotosho/Ikeja West 330kV transmission line, scheduled from July 28, 2025, to August 21, 2025 from 8 am to 5 pm,” the TCN said in a statement by its General Manager (GM), Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah.

During the period, the agency said, “power will be restored through the line after each day’s work, all other circuits will remain operational to ensure a stable power supply to the Lagos complex during the exercise”.

It said the upgrade will “enable full operationalization of the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system” and enhance the real-time monitoring and management of the power grid.

Meanwhile, the two electricity distribution companies operating in Lagos State: the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) and the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (Ikeja Electric) have informed customers about the planned upgrade.

In separate public notices, both Discos said there will be “intermittent power supply” during the period.

EKEDC wrote: “Dear Valued Customer, Kindly be informed that there will be a planned outage by our partner, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
Date: Monday, 28th July to Thursday, 21st August, 2025.
Time: 08:00 – 17:00 hrs (daily).
Reason: To enable works to be safely carried out on the Omotosho – Ikeja West 330kV power line.
Impact: Intermittent outage and load shedding across our network.
Affected Areas: Across our network coverage.”

“Dear Esteemed Customer, please be informed that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) will carry out scheduled maintenance on the Omotosho-Ikeja West 330kV transmission line from Monday, July 28, to Thursday, August 21, 2025, between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM daily.

“During this period, customers may experience intermittent power supply and load shedding across our network due to the planned TCN outage,” Ikeja Electric said.

Despite this assurance, electricity users are dreading the development and its possible impact on work and business operations in the state.

For Doyin, a remote worker in Lagos, “It appears that they are serious about this thing and I am worried it will not allow me give my all. The cost of electricity is already high not to get anything right now.”

“I just hope that this upgrade doesn’t mean blackout,” she told Business Post.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN), has urged the government to provide incentives for mining operators to further raise the sector’s contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP).

The National President of MAN, Mr Dele Ayankele, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja, said this is hinged on the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr Dele Alake, saying that government revenue from the sector increased significantly from N6 billion in 2023 to N38 billion in 2024.

Mr Alake attributed the surge to stricter licencing, the value addition policy, and measures against illegal mining.

The president of MAN said that although the factors listed by Mr Alake played a vital role in the revenue surge, it could be further increased through the provision of incentives for miners to boost their operations.

“There is a need to balance optimising revenue with providing incentives that improve investment climate and drive activities in the sector,” he said.

Mr Ayankele said that the rise in global demand for energy transition minerals also contributed substantially to the increase in revenue.

He explained that this was driven by increased investment in mining and a marked rise in production by both local and foreign interests in the Nigerian mining industry.

He said that the increment in licencing fees referred to by the minister as stricter licencing should not be a disincentive to operators.

“Maximising government fees, rents and royalties should not be exorbitant and be a disincentive to operators.

“We appreciate the passion and a lot of policy initiatives of the minister at improving mining contribution to our GDP and the national economy.

“We, however, believe that the revenue contribution could be higher if the policies can be tailored towards increase in the volume of operations.

“Which will increase mineral production, improve royalty collections as against licencing fees that are payable at fixed intervals.

“As at now, the huge increase in the licencing fees has sent a lot of indigenous small scale leaseholders out of mining business,” he said.

According to him, only operators who can afford the new fees mostly through partnerships with Chinese investors are in business, appealing to the minister to introduce a more friendly licencing regime.

By Adedapo Adesanya

Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (Credicorp) has launched the country’s largest credit intervention for youth known as YouthCred.

Recall that in his Democracy Day address on June 12, President Bola Tinubu promised that the federal government would launch a credit initiative to impact 400,000 Nigerians – including youth corp member – with consumer credit.

This promised was fulfilled with the launch of YouthCred, a national initiative under Credicorp, aimed at empowering young Nigerians with responsible access to credit—starting with National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members.

The unveiling followed the successful strategic planning and debriefing session of NYSC State Coordinators, where Credicorp formally signed an MOU with the National Youth Service Corps and trained NYSC officers across all 36 states on the YouthCred platform.

“YouthCred is more than a loan program; it is a deliberate act of cultural re-orientation. For decades, credit in Nigeria has been misunderstood, misused, or completely out of reach for young people. This initiative changes that. By combining credit education with structured and affordable access to financing, YouthCred is equipping a new generation to understand credit, use it wisely, and begin building a credit history from an early age,” the statement from Credicorp said.

The first phase of the initiative targets members of the NYSC, who will be required to complete a short digital credit education program before they can access tailored loans for personal and productive needs: whether it’s to relocate, purchase a device, finance training, or fund a small business.

“For the first time, young Nigerians will not only be able to access credit—they’ll understand how to manage it, repay it, and build trust with the financial system,” Credicorp added.

With the launch now live for corps members, the next phase of YouthCred will extend to employed youth, giving entry-level professionals the opportunity to access credit that matches their realities and supports their aspirations.

“This will be followed by youth-led enterprises, where young entrepreneurs can access the financing they need to grow their ventures and contribute meaningfully to the economy.

“YouthCred signals the beginning of a generational shift—one that recognizes that financial trust must be earned early and that the Nigerian youth deserve the tools to thrive. It is a national commitment to economic inclusion, financial discipline, and long-term prosperity. In line with CREDICORP’s mandate to democratize credit and deepen access, YouthCred is setting the stage for a lifetime of financial empowerment for millions of young Nigerians.

“The journey has begun. From democracy to dignity, from policy to people—YouthCred is not just a programme. It’s a movement,” the statement said.