Writtenn by
Ishioma Appiah-Yeboah
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) says the country’s electricity transmission network has the capacity to handle more power than is currently being generated, as stakeholders gather to review reforms in Nigeria’s power and gas sector.
The Managing Director/CEO of TCN, Engr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, represented by the General Manager, Transmission Services, Engr. Ali Sharifai, made this known at a four-day Parliamentary and Stakeholders’ Engagement Summit on Power Sector Reforms held in Lagos.
The summit brought together lawmakers, ministers, regulators, power sector operators, development partners and industry stakeholders to review electricity and gas sector reforms carried out between 2007 and 2024, with a focus on improving power supply reliability in Nigeria.
According to TCN, one of the biggest misconceptions in the power sector is that transmission is the main bottleneck preventing stable electricity supply.
The company explained that while Nigeria has an installed generation capacity of 13,625 megawatts, the highest power ever generated and delivered to the national grid stands at 5,801.84 megawatts.
It added that the national transmission network currently has a wheeling capacity of 8,700 megawatts meaning it can carry significantly more electricity than is currently being produced.
TCN said the implication is that the transmission network is not the limiting factor in Nigeria’s electricity supply challenge, stressing that greater focus is needed on generation, gas supply, distribution and market efficiency.
On investment to strength the national grid, the transmission company disclosed that it has expanded grid capacity from about 7,000MW to 8,700MW through infrastructure upgrades supported by the Federal Government and development partners.
It also revealed that 82 transformers were commissioned between 2024 and 2025, adding about 8,500MVA of transformation capacity across the country to improve stability and reduce system failures.
TCN further noted that it has attracted over $1.4 billion in funding from international partners, including the World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the French Development Agency (AFD), to support ongoing transmission expansion projects.
In addition, the company said it is deploying a nationwide SCADA system to enable real-time monitoring of the grid, faster fault detection and improved system coordination.
Despite these improvements, TCN said several challenges continue to affect electricity supply nationwide.
These include vandalism of power infrastructure, encroachment on transmission rights-of-way, funding constraints, foreign exchange pressures, weak coordination across the power value chain, and delays in land acquisition and community engagement.
The company stressed that no single segment of the electricity industry can solve Nigeria’s power challenges alone, calling instead for coordinated investment across generation, transmission and distribution.
However, TCN called for a stronger reform and urged lawmakers, stakeholders to strengthen legal protection for critical power infrastructure, improve funding for transmission projects, and ensure consistent enforcement of the Electricity Act 2023.
It also called for a more stable and financially viable electricity market that encourages investment and improves service delivery to consumers.
According to the company, reliable electricity supply will only be achieved through sustained political will, effective implementation of reforms and stronger collaboration across all levels of government and industry players.
What this means for Nigerians
For households and businesses, TCN’s position highlights a key issue in the ongoing power crisis that expanding generation, improving gas supply and strengthening distribution networks are just as critical as transmission upgrades in delivering stable electricity.
The company reaffirmed its commitment to building a stronger and more reliable national grid capable of supporting Nigeria’s economic growth and industrial development.