World Bank, AfDB, JICA commit over $1b
Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has raised concerns over deepening financial and structural challenges threatening the efficiency and expansion of the country’s electricity infrastructure, revealing it is owed over N400 billion.
Speaking at a workshop for energy journalists in Abuja, TCN’s Managing Director, Dr Sule Abdulaziz, who was represented by the Executive Director, Transmission Service Provider, Oluwagbenga Ajiboye, warned that misconceptions about the structure and function of Nigeria’s electricity grid were fuelling misplaced blame and policy misdirection.
Abdulaziz also raised concerns over right-of-way issues across the country as well as litigations, stressing that most critical power projects had been stalled due to the development.
Insisting that there was a need for investment by the distribution companies, he said that contrary to popular belief, Nigeria does not operate a singular, centralised grid under the exclusive control of TCN.
Instead, the power system is a coordinated value chain involving generation companies (GenCos), TCN as the transmission service provider, and distribution companies (DisCos).
According to Abdulaziz, TCN is responsible for transmitting electricity and maintaining grid stability, not for generating or distributing power.
He added that TCN was executing a range of network expansion projects funded by international development partners, including the World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB), Agence Française de Développement (AFD), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), with total investment commitments exceeding $1 billion.
While the company has successfully commissioned 73 new transmission transformers between 2024 and June 2025, a significant number of completed substations, such as those in New Kano, 9th Mile, and Kabba remain idle due to uncompleted or blocked transmission lines.
Besides, the company said transformers initially installed were being deactivated as they remained idle due to the lack of corresponding infrastructure by the DisCos.
Also speaking at the event, the Technical Adviser and General Manager, Projects Coordination, Aminu Tahir, said most projects were being slowed down by unresolved litigations, lack of counterpart funding, and administrative delays in granting the required approvals for construction.
He cited the slow pace in developing the new National Control Centre in Gwagwalada, the non-performance on the remodelling of the Osogbo Control Centre, and delays in procuring telecom masts and fibre optic links needed to complete the national fibre network as additional constraints.
