The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has defended its implementation of solar streetlight projects valued at N1.28 billion, saying the interventions were National Assembly constituency projects included in the Federal Government’s approved budget and not initiatives conceived by the company.
In a statement issued on Saturday, TCN was responding to a publication by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), authored by Emmanuel Oluwole Uti, which alleged that the company spent N1.28 billion between May and June 2025 on solar streetlight projects outside its statutory mandate.
The company explained that the projects were nominated by members of the National Assembly to benefit vulnerable communities and were subsequently captured in the Federal Government’s appropriation budget, with TCN designated as the implementing agency.
According to the company, it neither initiated nor requested the projects but executed them in line with established government procedures.
TCN also clarified that the funds used for the projects were Federal Government appropriations approved by the President and not generated from the company’s internally generated revenue.
It stated that all payments were processed through the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) in compliance with extant financial regulations, while procurement received the necessary approvals from relevant government agencies, including the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).
The company maintained that the procurement process complied strictly with the provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007, adding that the contractors referenced in the FIJ report—including Au Step Nigeria Limited, Empire Technical Projects Construction Services Limited, and Ideal Engineering & Construction Company Limited—were engaged through due process.
TCN further argued that the solar streetlight projects support its broader efforts to protect critical national power infrastructure. It noted that its 330kV and 132kV transmission lines and towers span the country and that improved lighting in vulnerable communities enhances security, discourages vandalism and theft, and supports socio-economic activities.
The company said the projects executed in Jigawa, Kano and Kogi states were implemented at the request of the National Assembly to improve security and visibility in beneficiary communities while contributing to the protection of electricity infrastructure.
While reiterating that its primary statutory responsibility remains the transmission of bulk electricity nationwide, TCN maintained that it is legally empowered to implement constituency and other Federal Government projects assigned to it.
“It is also worthy of note that, as a government agency, there is no provision in law prohibiting TCN from executing projects assigned to it by the National Assembly or other arms of government, provided due process is followed in accordance with the Public Procurement Act, 2007,” the statement said.
The company appealed to media organisations and other stakeholders to seek clarification from TCN before publishing reports concerning its operations, saying this would promote factual, balanced and accurate reporting while preventing misinformation.
TCN reaffirmed its commitment to its statutory mandate of transmitting bulk electricity across Nigeria and pledged to continue executing government-assigned projects transparently in support of national development objectives.
