The Transmission Company of Nigeria has dismissed claims that the country’s transmission network is the major obstacle to improved electricity supply, insisting that the national grid currently has the capacity to wheel 8,700 megawatts of electricity.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of TCN, Sule Abdulaziz, made the clarification on Monday during a four-day Parliamentary and Stakeholders’ Engagement Summit on Power Sector Reforms in Lagos.
According to Abdulaziz, available industry data shows that transmission is not the primary constraint in Nigeria’s electricity value chain.
He argued that while public discourse often portrays transmission as the weakest segment of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, sector statistics tell a different story.
Abdulaziz disclosed that Nigeria’s total installed generation capacity stands at 13,625MW. However, the highest volume of electricity ever generated and delivered to the national grid remains 5,801.84MW.
He noted that the record was achieved on March 4, 2025, when the national grid also transmitted a historic 128,370.75 megawatt-hours of electricity within a single day.
“Before presenting TCN’s achievements, I wish to address directly and factually a narrative that has gained currency in public discourse: the characterisation of transmission as the singular or primary constraint in Nigeria’s electricity challenges,” he said.
According to him, the national transmission network has consistently wheeled every megawatt made available to it.
“The transmission network has the capacity and our operators have the competence. The transmission network of Nigeria is ready,” Abdulaziz stated.
The TCN boss explained that the company has increased the nation’s bulk power wheeling capacity from approximately 7,000MW to a confirmed 8,700MW.
He said the expansion represents an additional 1,700MW evacuation capacity added to the national grid through sustained infrastructure investments and engineering improvements.
“Through deliberate, sustained and strategically phased infrastructure investment, TCN has successfully increased the nation’s bulk wheeling capacity from approximately 7,000MW to a confirmed 8,700MW,” he said.
Abdulaziz described the achievement as the result of years of investment, operational discipline and support from the Federal Government and international development partners.
He noted that the record peak transmission of 5,801.84MW and the highest-ever daily energy delivery of 128,370.75MWh demonstrate the grid’s ability to handle greater volumes of power.
“These twin records are not coincidental. They are the direct and measurable outcome of TCN’s years of infrastructure investment, engineering diligence and operational discipline,” he said.
The TCN chief also revealed that between January 2024 and November 2025, the company commissioned 82 new power transformers nationwide.
According to him, the deployment added approximately 8,500MVA of transformation capacity to the national grid and represents one of the most extensive transformer installation programmes in TCN’s history.
“Between January 2024 and November 2025, a period of just 23 months, TCN commissioned 82 new power transformers across the country, adding approximately 8,500MVA of transformation capacity to the national grid,” Abdulaziz stated.
He added that the company completed several strategic transmission projects across the country to strengthen the grid and improve electricity supply reliability.
These projects include the Bauchi 330/132/33kV Substation, Oyo Town Transmission Substation, University of Ibadan Mobile Substation, Sapade Substation and upgrades at the Sagamu Substation.
TCN also completed critical transmission line projects, including the Delta-Effurun 132kV line reconductoring, the Benin-Ajaokuta 330kV line reinforcement and the Ihovbor/Benin-Ajaokuta Turn-In Turn-Out lines.
According to Abdulaziz, these projects have improved grid flexibility, strengthened power evacuation capabilities and enhanced network reliability.
He described the commissioning of the Ihovbor TITO lines in April 2026 as a major milestone for Nigeria’s power sector.
“The commissioning of the Ihovbor TITO lines is particularly significant. It represents a major network reinforcement that improves the grid’s ability to manage contingencies, reroute power flows under fault conditions and support future network expansion,” he said.
The TCN chief further disclosed that the company has attracted more than $1.4bn in development financing from international partners.
The funding was secured from institutions including the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the French Development Agency.
According to him, the funds are being used for grid rehabilitation, transmission expansion, substation upgrades, power corridor improvements and network modernisation projects.
“These four partnerships collectively represent in excess of $1.4bn in committed development finance directed at Nigeria’s transmission infrastructure,” Abdulaziz said.
He added that the sustained support from international development institutions reflects confidence in TCN’s governance structure, operational capacity and ability to deliver critical infrastructure projects.
The latest remarks come amid ongoing debates over the challenges facing Nigeria’s power sector, with industry stakeholders continuing to assess the roles of generation, transmission and distribution in improving electricity supply across the country.
