ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria’s transmission network currently has the capacity to wheel 8,700 megawatts (MW) of electricity, far above the highest power ever generated and delivered to the national grid, according to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
Okay News reports that Engineer Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of TCN, disclosed this at a four-day parliamentary and stakeholders’ engagement summit on power sector reforms, held in Abuja.
The highest power ever generated and delivered to the national grid was 5,801.84MW, achieved on March 4, 2025, accompanied by a record daily energy delivery of 128,370.75 megawatt-hours (MWh), the highest ever recorded in Nigeria’s electricity industry.
“TCN has consistently wheeled all available generation, demonstrating that the transmission network is ready to support higher levels of electricity delivery,” Abdulaziz said.
TCN has significantly strengthened Nigeria’s transmission infrastructure in recent years, expanding bulk power wheeling capacity from approximately 7,000MW to 8,700MW through strategic investments backed by the Federal Government and international development partners.
Between January 2024 and November 2025, TCN commissioned 82 transformers across the country, adding approximately 8,500 megavolt-amperes (MVA) of transformation capacity, while also delivering key substations and transmission line projects that improved grid reliability, redundancy, and operational flexibility across all geopolitical zones.
TCN has secured more than $1.4 billion in financing from the World Bank, the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to support transmission expansion and modernisation projects.
As part of efforts to modernise grid operations, Abdulaziz said TCN is implementing a nationwide Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system that will provide real-time monitoring of the network, improve fault management and enhance dispatch efficiency.
“In parallel, TCN is advancing grid digitalisation through the implementation of a nationwide SCADA system, which will provide real-time network visibility, faster fault management, improved dispatch efficiency, and the foundation for future smart-grid operations,” he said.
Despite the progress, Abdulaziz identified vandalism and sabotage of transmission infrastructure as major threats to the power sector. Attacks on transmission assets continue to disrupt electricity supply, increase maintenance costs and undermine investments in the industry. He also raised concerns over persistent encroachment on transmission rights-of-way, noting that such activities pose safety risks, hinder maintenance work and limit future network expansion.
Abdulaziz stressed that Nigeria’s power sector requires substantial investment across the electricity value chain. While TCN has expanded transmission capacity to 8,700MW, greater investments are still needed in power generation, gas supply and distribution infrastructure to ensure more electricity reaches homes and businesses.
“The long-term sustainability of the sector depends on a financially viable electricity market, supported by cost-reflective tariffs, improved revenue collection, stronger payment discipline, and a stable regulatory environment that encourages investment,” he stated.
Financing constraints, foreign exchange pressures, counterpart funding requirements, land acquisition issues and community-related challenges are delaying the implementation of critical transmission projects. Abdulaziz said streamlined approval processes, fair compensation arrangements and structured stakeholder engagement would help accelerate project delivery.
