Assessment of Energy Access and Productive Use in Fishing Communities of Lagos Lagoon, South West Nigeria

Artisanal fishing communities along the Lagos Lagoon in South West Nigeria remain amongst the most energy-deprived urban-fringe populations in Nigeria, despite their proximity to a major metropolis with extensive grid infrastructure. This study assesses energy access conditions and productive energy use in four fishing communities along the Lagos Lagoon, focusing on electricity availability, affordability, and the relationship between energy services and livelihoods. A household survey covering 220 respondents documented energy sources, monthly expenditure, ownership of productive appliances, and daily energy use patterns across different livelihood activities including fish smoking, ice making, boat propulsion, and lighting. The Multi-Tier Framework for Household Energy Access was applied to categorise energy access levels within the communities. Findings reveal that 67 percent of households rely exclusively on kerosene lanterns and candles, while fish smoking operations predominantly use fuelwood with high associated health and deforestation impacts. Analysis of productive use applications shows significant unmet demand for electric fish smokers, refrigeration, and battery charging for boat navigation lights. The study models a solar mini-grid configuration capable of serving a 150-household community cluster and supporting productive fishing enterprise loads. Investment requirements and community payment capacity are assessed through willingness-to-pay elicitation. The study recommends a productive use-led mini-grid development approach supported by Lagos State government. Keywords: energy access, fishing communities, Lagos Lagoon, productive use, solar mini-grid.