By Peter Dansu
A wave of criticism has trailed the Lagos State Government’s decision to introduce solar permit fees in housing estates, with Olumayowa Akogun-Abudu launching a fierce attack on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu over what he described as an anti-people policy.
Akogun-Abudu, a military veteran and former aspirant of Lagos State House of Assembly as well as Ojo Local Government chairmanship candidate, condemned the move in a strongly worded statement issued on Thursday, April 23, 2026, to News Peddlers. He argued that the policy targets residents who have turned to solar energy as a survival strategy amid persistent power outages.
Describing the fee as exploitative, he said the government was effectively punishing citizens for finding alternatives to a problem it has failed to solve.
“This solar permit fee is not just bad policy; it is daylight exploitation of Lagosians,” he said. “After years of failing to deliver stable electricity, your government now wants to tax survival.”
He maintained that thousands of residents who invested personal funds into renewable energy solutions did so out of necessity, not luxury, and should not be burdened with additional levies.
Akogun-Abudu also questioned the administration’s priorities, accusing it of focusing more on revenue generation than improving basic services. According to him, the policy reflects a widening gap between governance and the everyday realities faced by citizens dealing with rising living costs and weak infrastructure.
“This is not governance; this is extortion dressed up as regulation,” he added. “Instead of fixing the power crisis, you have chosen to profit from it. No serious government penalizes innovation, self-reliance, and resilience.”
As opposition to the policy grows across Lagos housing estates, he called for its immediate and total reversal, insisting the government lacks the moral standing to impose such charges.
“If you cannot provide electricity, you have no moral justification to tax those who provide it for themselves. This policy must be scrapped completely and immediately,” he said.
He further warned that the political consequences of the decision could be significant, stressing that voters would not forget policies they perceive as burdensome.
“Lagosians are watching. And they will remember.”
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