TCN Announces Increase in Nigeria’s Electricity Transmission Capacity
The Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, says its transmission network currently has a simulated capacity of more than 8,700 megawatts, with over 8,500MVA of transformation capacity available to transmit electricity to distribution companies.
The company says the 8,700MW figure is based on static simulation and has not yet been physically tested, noting that additional capacity has been added to the network in the past six months.
TCN’s Deputy Director Oluwagbenga Ajiboye, disclosed this at a three day Workshop for Energy Correspondenct in Keffi Nasarrawa State North Central Nigeria, themed “Assessing the impact anf challenges of Transmission Network in Nigeria.”
Speaking on the performance of the transmission sector over the past year, Ajiboye, said the company successfully wheeled a record 5,801.84 Megawatts across the national grid in 2025, demonstrating the network’s ability to handle higher levels of electricity.
He however, identified the capacity of distribution companies to take available power as one of the major constraints facing the sector.
The Director said DisCos often complain that available transmission capacity is not located where they require power, stressing the need for greater investment in distribution infrastructure to ensure electricity reaches consumers.
He further disclosed that TCN had added about 89 power transformers to the national grid within the period under review, increasing transformation capacity and strengthening bulk power supply to distribution load centres.
He said that major projects include the addition of 300MVA capacity at Katangwe, increasing the substation’s capacity from 450MVA to 750MVA, as well as another 300MVA transformer commissioned and loaded in Abuja.
He also disclosed that a 300MVA transformer had been commissioned in Benin, while a 75MVA transformer in Ebonyi State had been completed and put into service.
The TCN official said the company was also expanding transmission infrastructure to less-developed areas, arguing that electricity must precede economic development rather than waiting for population and businesses to emerge before infrastructure is provided.
He said government and development partners remained critical to financing such projects because of the huge capital requirements involved in generation, transmission and distribution.
Ajiboye disclosed that about 1.4 billion dollars in multilateral and development financing had been mobilised for TCN’s expansion programme over the past year, with support from institutions including the World Bank, African Development Bank, JICA and the French Development Agency.
He said TCN was also investing in rehabilitation, maintenance and redundancy to improve the reliability and resilience of the transmission network.
