The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has attributed the collapse of one of its high-voltage transmission towers in Kaduna to a combination of vandalism and severe weather conditions, which led to power disruptions across parts of the state.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Ndidi Mbah, General Manager of Public Affairs at TCN, confirmed that Tower 7 along the Kaduna Tower Line I and II, located in Rigasa community, collapsed following heavy rainfall and strong windstorms on Thursday.
Upon inspection of the damage, TCN engineers discovered that critical components of the tower had been removed by vandals, severely compromising the structural integrity of the installation.
“Vandals had carted away some tower members, which weakened the structure and made it vulnerable to collapse,” the TCN spokesperson said.
The collapse primarily affected Kaduna South, plunging several communities into darkness. Areas impacted by the outage include: Kinkinau,Yan Tukwane, Kabala West and Unguwan Muazu.
However, Kaduna North remains unaffected, TCN confirmed.
To manage the disruption, TCN advised Kaduna Electric to reroute supply by linking the 33kV Mogadishu feeder to the 33kV Abakwa feeder, ensuring some level of power restoration for customers in the affected zones.
Reconstruction Underway
TCN says its engineers are already on-site, dismantling the collapsed structure and clearing debris to pave the way for the re-erection of a new tower. The company assured residents that every effort is being made to minimise the duration of the outage and restore full power as quickly as possible.
“We sincerely apologise to customers affected by the outage and appreciate their patience as we work to rebuild the tower,” Mbah said.
2024 Capital Budget Extended to End of 2025, Says Senate Committee Chairman
New contract awards under 2025 budget suspended, pending review and fiscal adjustments
The capital component of Nigeria’s 2024 federal budget will remain active until December 31, 2025, allowing extended time for project execution across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). This was disclosed by Senator Solomon Adeola, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, during a joint session with the Federal Government’s economic team.
Adeola also announced a temporary halt on new contract awards under the 2025 fiscal year, following a National Assembly resolution that withdraws all prior circulars issued for project initiation under the upcoming budget.
“Implementation of the 2025 capital budget will only begin once appropriate approvals are in place. The Authority to Incur Expenditure (AIE) should be released within seven days of this session,” Adeola stated.
2025 Capital Budget to Roll Over into 2026
According to the senator, the capital component of the proposed ₦54.99 trillion 2025 national budget, which includes ₦23.9 trillion earmarked for capital expenditure, will also be extended into the 2026 fiscal year, allowing more flexibility in funding and implementation timelines.
Adeola emphasized the need for structured disbursement processes, urging the Ministry of Finance to retract previous circulars issued to MDAs pending the release of fresh AIE directives.
The high-level session included participation from top government officials, among them:
- Wale Edun, Minister of Finance
- Senator Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning
- Samsudeen Ogunjimi, Accountant-General of the Federation
- Tanimu Yakubu, Director-General, Budget Office
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