The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has disclosed that transmission projects valued at over $1.3 billion and funded by multilateral development partners are currently ongoing across the country, as part of efforts to expand grid capacity and strengthen power delivery nationwide.
The projects, being implemented under different Project Management Units (PMUs), are supported through loans and grants backed by the Federal Government of Nigeria and are targeted at improving transmission wheeling capacity, reinforcing weak corridors and modernising critical infrastructure.
In a document made available to journalists in Abuja Wednesday the TCN stated that transmission projects are capital intensive and require dependable sources of funding for timely completion.
To bridge financing gaps, TCN stated that it relies partly on multilateral agencies, with four dedicated Project Implementation Units (PIUs) currently supervising various donor-backed initiatives.
Under the World Bank PMU, the Nigeria Electricity Transmission Project , it said, is valued at $486 million and focuses on strengthening critical transmission lines and substations nationwide.
Besides, the document showed that the Agence Française de DéveloppementPMU oversees the $170 million Abuja Transmission Project as well as the $200 million Northern Corridor Project, both aimed at reinforcing bulk power evacuation capacity and improving grid stability in key load centres.
Similarly, the African Development Bank (AfDB), it explained, is funding the $210 million Nigeria Transmission Expansion Project (NTEP), which forms part of the broader national Transmission Rehabilitation and Expansion Programme.
“TCN currently has four Project Implementation Units under the PMU. Each of the PIUs undertakes the supervision of the underlisted set of projects funded by each of the financing partners. A. World Bank PMU $486million Nigeria Electricity Transmission Project; Agence Française de Development (AFD) PMU ($170million Abuja Transmission Project) and Northern Corridor Project – $200million
“(Also, there’s the) African Development Bank (AfDB) PMU ($210million Nigeria Transmission Expansion Project) (and) Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) PMU ($235million Lagos-Ogun Power Transmission Project).
According to the company, the NTEP is being executed across the Northwest, Southeast and South-South regions, covering Kano, Kaduna, Delta, Edo, Anambra, Imo and Abia States. The programme comprises a mix of brownfield upgrades and greenfield projects designed to strengthen existing infrastructure and expand transmission capacity in growth corridors.
In the Southwest, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is financing the $235 million Lagos-Ogun Power Transmission Project, targeted at improving supply reliability in Nigeria’s industrial and commercial hub.
Beyond physical grid expansion, TCN said it is also pursuing sweeping digital transformation initiatives through its Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Department, aimed at automating and integrating its operational processes.
The company said it recently concluded procurement of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution, with consultancy services fully underway. The main contract, partly funded by AFD, has been signed and is operational, it stated. The ERP platform is expected to integrate existing and proposed digital assets while automating previously manual processes within the organisation.
As part of its digital infrastructure upgrade, mini data centres have also been deployed in eight regional offices located in Oshogbo, Benin, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano and Abuja. These function as sub-domains of TCN’s corporate network infrastructure, with the nucleus at the Corporate Headquarters.
To ensure operational resilience, Disaster Recovery Centres, it said, have been completed in the Lagos and Shiroro regions. The facilities serve as remote mirrors of the central network hub and can assume full operational control in the event of failure at the headquarters.
Local Area Networks (LAN), the TCN added. have also been installed across all regional offices, enabling seamless access to network resources, while dedicated internet services have been deployed nationwide following regulatory approval. This has facilitated the integration of previously isolated systems into a unified Wide Area Network (WAN).
In addition, the company stated that Closed Circuit Television (CCTVs) systems are being deployed in control rooms and switchyards nationwide to enhance surveillance and protection of critical infrastructure. The project has been completed at the corporate headquarters and is nearing completion in substations across the country, it stressed.
TCN’s primary revenue is derived from service payments by Generation Companies (Gencos), Distribution Companies (Discos), international distribution firms and directly connected customers.
The company also receives federal budgetary appropriations for capital projects and benefits from grants and concessional loans from development partners including the World Bank, AfDB, JICA, AFD and the European Union.
Emmanuel Addeh
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