The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), under the leadership of Engr. Sule Abdulaziz has been working silently to improve the quantum of power transmission in Nigeria.
TCN serves as the nexus of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), with the mandate to ensure the efficient transmission of bulk electricity to transmission load centres across the country.
The company has done well in terms of project delivery through a strategic framework known as the Nigerian Electricity Grid Maintenance, Expansion, and Rehabilitation Program (NEGMERP).
This program was effective in the implementation of numerous capital and reinforcement projects across various transmission regions, thereby strengthening the grid for efficient electricity evacuation and transmission.
TCN has completed several substations, initiated the re-conductoring of aging and low-capacity transmission lines, replaced aged transformers with new ones, and upgraded the capacities of existing transformers.
Prior to this time, it was almost impossible for the company to transmit bulk electricity across the country due to aged transmission lines constructed over 40 years ago.
However, over the last five years, the company has recorded outstanding success across all aspects of transmission project execution and operations, with several significant milestones achieved.
TCN currently has the capacity to wheel 8,700 MW of bulk electricity on 330kV and 132kV voltage levels from power generation plants through high-voltage transmission lines and transformers to distribution load centres nationwide.
On 8th April 2025, in line with the Electricity Act of 2023, TCN was unbundled into the Transmission Service Provider (TSP) and the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO).
With the restructuring, TCN relinquished the functions of System Operations and Market Operations, but retained the job of managing the physical assets of the company.
TCN is responsible for building transmission grids that can efficiently evacuate all generated power, creating adequate network redundancies to ensure at least 99.9% reliability, reducing transmission losses to less than 5%, and pursuing Inter-connection with neighboring Countries for power exchange with. associated cost savings from the sharing of reserve capacity and energy resources.
The company is targeting to evaluate 10,000MW of generated power in less than two years from now.
TCN’S NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
TCN has started and completed a lot of projects under the current leadership of the company. These include the installation and commissioning of 66 power transformers, the completion of new transmission substations, and re-conducting of transmission line projects.
The company has completed other projects like 6,000MVA projects under the World Bank-sponsored projects and a 76.47% reduction in grid disturbances over the past five years.
These projects have improved bulk power transmission to various distribution load centers nationwide making it possible for the DisCos to offtake more power for onward distribution to customers within their franchise areas, consequently impacting positively on socio-economic activities within the states.
TCN is currently working on the World Bank-funded SCADA project, which is 69% complete, and expected to enhance real-time monitoring and improve grid management and efficiency.
TCN is executing projects through the Nigeria Transmission Expansion Project (NTEP) under the national Transmission Rehabilitation and Expansion Program in the Northwest, Southeast, and South-South regions of Nigeria and cuts across Kano, Kaduna, Delta, Edo, Anambra, Imo, and Abia States to strengthen and improve transmission wheeling capacity.
TCN is a key stakeholder of the Nigerian Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) as undertaken by FGN Power Company (FGNPC), which aims to resolve existing challenges in the nation’s power sector and expand the capacity of the transmission and distribution networks.
The PPI project also aims to upgrade the electricity network, to achieve an operational capacity of 25,000 Megawatts (MW) from the current average of around 4,500MW, through a series of projects spanning three phases.
The company recently agreed to embark on some projects to resolve TCN/DisCos constraints. The projects are categorised under Service Level Agreement (SLA) projects because they represent TCN’s commitment to better serve the DisCos. There are more than 50 DisCos/TCN interface projects in this project cohort.
The projects are funded by CBN through loans provided to TCN. The loans are to be recovered through deductions from TCN’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) invoices.
NEW SUBSTATION PROJECTS
TCN has completed notable substations across the country, including the Ogbomosho 2x60MVA, 132/33kV Substation at Oyo State, Amasiri 2x60MVA, 132/33kV Substation at Ebonyi State, Ogoja 2x60MVA, 132/33kV Substation at Cross River State, and a 2x60MVA transmission substation in Lafiya, Nassarawa State.
LINES PROJECTS
TCN, under the leadership of Engr. Sule Abdulaziz, prioritized transmission line projects, recognizing that some 132kV transmission lines are aged and constrained in capacity.
The Company, thus initiated the re-conductoring of several lines, including 16 transmission lines and an additional 17 under the Service Level Agreement (SLA) projects nationwide. These efforts were aimed at reinforcing the national grid for optimal evacuation and transmission of bulk electricity.
Some of the transmission lines projects so far completed include Ikorodu – Odogunya 132kV Double Circuit Transmission Line, Oshogbo – Ede 132kV Double Circuit Transmission Line, Obudu – Ogoja 132kV Double Circuit Transmission Line, Ugwuaji – Apir 330kV transmission line, and Katampe – Central Area 132kV underground transmission cable line.
