Nigerians to Enjoy More Power as TCN Secures N1.87tn to Boost National Electricity Grid Capacity
- TCN has secured over $1.4 billion (about N1.87 trillion) in loans and grants to expand Nigeria’s electricity transmission network
- The investment has helped increase the country’s transmission capacity to 8,700MW and supported the commissioning of 89 power transformers
- TCN says some DisCos are still unable or unwilling to take available electricity, limiting how much power reaches consumers
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Legit.ng journalist Victor Enengedi has over a decade's experience covering energy, MSMEs, technology, banking and the economy.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has attracted more than $1.4 billion in loans and grants from multilateral development partners to support the expansion of the country’s electricity transmission network.
The funding, estimated at about N1.87 trillion, was mobilised largely within the past year and has helped the company increase its transmission wheeling capacity to more than 8,700 megawatts (MW).
Source: UGC
The investment has also supported the development and upgrade of key transmission infrastructure across the country, including the commissioning of 89 power transformers.
TCN secures $1.4bn for grid expansion
The TCN Executive Director, Transmission Service Provider, Ajiboye Oluwagbenga, disclosed the development during a training workshop held in Keffi, Nasarawa State, on Thursday.
Oluwagbenga said the financing was secured through collaborations with major international development institutions and financial organisations.
These include the World Bank, African Development Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency and Agence Française de Dévelopement.
He explained that the investments had helped improve the strength and capacity of the national transmission network, allowing it to carry significantly more electricity.
Transmission capacity rises to 8,700MW
According to Oluwagbenga, TCN’s transmission wheeling capacity currently stands at about 8,700MW, although the company has not yet physically tested the entire capacity.
He said the figure was based on simulations and stressed that TCN had deliberately adopted a conservative approach when measuring the network’s capacity.
“These things don’t come cheap at all. The investment made so far, accumulated in the last 12 months, that we have secured is in excess of $1.4bn from multilateral and development financing mobilised for TCN expansion.
“When we are talking about the transmission wheeling capacity, we stand at 8,700MW. It has not been physically tested, but it has been simulated. So presently, that is where we are,” he said.
Oluwagbenga added that more transmission facilities had been completed in the past six months but were yet to be included in the current capacity figure.
Discos’ capacity to take power remains a challenge
Despite the improvements in the transmission network, he said the sector still faced challenges in moving all available electricity to consumers.
Oluwagbenga specifically pointed to the inability or reluctance of some electricity distribution companies (Discos) to take available power as one of the factors limiting electricity delivery.
Source: UGC
The Federal Government has continued to invest in transmission infrastructure as part of broader efforts to remove bottlenecks in Nigeria’s electricity supply industry.
Although generation and transmission capacity have improved, the sector continues to face problems including weak distribution networks, financial difficulties and the inability of some Discos to fully absorb the electricity available from power producers.
Source: Legit.ng
