By James Adamu
The Transmission Company of Nigeria has attracted over $1.4 billion in financing from four multilateral development partners to overhaul and expand the nation’s electricity transmission infrastructure.
The funds, mobilised through a combination of loans and grants over the past year, are being deployed to reinforce the national grid, install new substations, and modernise aging equipment across the country.
Engr. Dr. Ajiboye Oluwagbenga, Executive Director of TCN’s Transmission Service Provider, made this known during a capacity-building workshop for power correspondents held in Keffi, Nasarawa State.
He identified the development partners as the World Bank, African Development Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency, and Agence Française de Développement, each contributing to specific projects under the transmission expansion programme.
The World Bank is providing $486 million through the Nigeria Electricity Transmission Project, which targets reinforcement of critical lines and substations across the country.
The African Development Bank has committed $210 million to the Nigeria Transmission Expansion Project, while JICA is financing transmission upgrades in Lagos and Ogun states valued at $235 million.
The French Development Agency is supporting two major initiatives, the Abuja Transmission Project and Northern Corridor Project, with combined funding of $370 million.
Oluwagbenga said the investments have significantly boosted the company’s transmission capacity, with the installation of 89 power transformers across various locations.
He revealed that TCN’s wheeling capacity has now reached approximately 8,700 megawatts, although the full potential has yet to be tested due to constraints on the receiving end.
“The investment made so far, accumulated in the last 12 months, that we have secured is in excess of $1.4 billion from multilateral and development financing mobilised for TCN expansion,” Oluwagbenga stated.
He explained that about 8,700 MVA of transformation capacity has been added to the national grid, positioning the company to move substantially more electricity than it currently delivers.
The TCN director, however, pointed to a persistent challenge: distribution companies that either cannot or will not take the available power, thereby limiting the volume of electricity transmitted to end-users.
He disclosed that the highest volume of electricity wheeled through the national grid to date was 5,801.84MW, achieved in 2025, which falls significantly short of the current transmission capacity.
Oluwagbenga pushed back against the narrative that transmission remains the weakest link in the electricity value chain, accusing other operators of routinely shifting blame to TCN for failures originating elsewhere.
“We are working there, and we know it is not true. But we don’t have to shout too much because we are a government agency,” he said.
The TCN executive also sounded the alarm over the growing menace of vandalism, warning that attacks on towers, power lines and substations were siphoning resources away from new infrastructure development toward repairs and security.
“Persistent attacks continue to threaten towers, lines, substations and projects. While those who attack this infrastructure are Nigerians, it is sad that they prioritise their pocket over the general benefit of Nigerians,” he lamented.
He disclosed that TCN is working closely with the Office of the National Security Adviser to ensure that suspected vandals arrested by security agencies face prosecution.
Oluwagbenga also raised concerns about right-of-way issues, which he said have stalled some transmission projects for as long as seven years in some locations.
He appealed to Nigerians to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities around transmission infrastructure, noting that TCN staff do not work on lines or remove equipment except during authorised maintenance.
“Our staff don’t work on lines or remove anything from it except if there is an issue. So, anyone seen working on transmission lines should be reported to police or vigilantes close to them,” he advised.
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