TCN: Salvaging Nigeria’s Power Sector Requires Stronger Laws, Political Will

Sule Abdulaziz, the Managing Director and CEO of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), has emphasized that resolving Nigeria's ongoing electricity crisis necessitates robust legal frameworks, sustained political commitment, and coordinated investments across the entire power value chain. Speaking at a summit organized by the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Power Sector Reforms, Abdulaziz argued that the national grid's transmission capacity is no longer the bottleneck.

Abdulaziz highlighted that Nigeria's transmission network is now capable of transmitting significantly more power than is currently being generated. He pointed to data showing that while the country's installed generation capacity is 13,625 megawatts, the highest power ever delivered to the grid was 5,801.84 MW. The TCN's wheeling capacity has increased to 8,700 MW, demonstrating its readiness to handle higher electricity loads. The company has expanded its bulk power transmission capability by approximately 1,700 MW through strategic investments.

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What is required now is sustained political will, coordinated action and effective implementation of existing plans, laws and partnerships.

He called for stronger legislation to combat the vandalism of power infrastructure nationwide and urged for the political will to tackle long-standing issues. Abdulaziz stated that the solutions are known but require decisive action and effective implementation. The TCN has undertaken significant infrastructure upgrades, including commissioning 82 transformers between January 2024 and November 2025, adding about 8,500 MVA of transformation capacity. The company has also secured over $1.4 billion in development financing from international partners like the World Bank and the African Development Bank for transmission expansion projects.

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The implication is clear. The national grid can currently transmit significantly more power than has ever been generated and supplied to it. TCN has consistently wheeled all available generation, demonstrating that the transmission network is ready to support higher levels of electricity delivery.