TCN Boss Engr Abdulaziz Confidence National Grid Has Capacity to Wheel 8,700 megawatts, Highlights Major Infrastructure Gains
By Raphael Ekpang
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Engr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, has defended the performance of the nation’s transmission network, insisting that the grid is not the primary bottleneck in Nigeria’s electricity value chain.
Speaking at the four-day Parliamentary and Stakeholders’ Engagement Summit on Power Sector Reforms organised by the House of Representatives in Abuja, Abdulaziz, represented by GM Transmission Services Engr. Ali Sharifai, said the transmission network currently has the capacity to wheel 8,700 megawatts (MW) of electricity, significantly higher than the country’s highest-ever generated power of 5,801.84MW.
According to him, data from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) shows that Nigeria’s installed generation capacity stands at 13,625MW, while the highest power ever generated and delivered to the national grid was recorded on March 4, 2025.
“The implication is clear: the national grid can currently transmit significantly more power than has ever been generated and supplied to it. TCN has consistently wheeled all available generation, demonstrating that the transmission network is ready to support higher levels of electricity delivery,” he stated.
Abdulaziz said TCN had expanded the nation’s bulk power wheeling capacity from about 7,000MW to 8,700MW through strategic investments supported by the Federal Government and development partners.
He noted that on March 4, 2025, the company recorded a historic peak transmission of 5,801.84MW and a daily energy delivery of 128,370.75 megawatt-hours (MWh), describing the achievements as evidence of growing network strength and reliability.
The TCN boss disclosed that between January 2024 and November 2025, the company commissioned 82 transformers nationwide, adding approximately 8,500MVA of transformation capacity to the grid.
He added that TCN had also mobilised more than $1.4 billion in development financing from international partners, including the World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and Agence Française de Développement (AFD), to fund transmission expansion and modernisation projects.
Abdulaziz further revealed that the company is advancing the deployment of a nationwide Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system to improve real-time network monitoring, fault management, dispatch efficiency, and future smart-grid operations.
Despite the progress recorded, he identified vandalism of transmission infrastructure, encroachment on transmission rights-of-way, inadequate financing, foreign exchange pressures, and land acquisition challenges as major obstacles affecting the growth of the power sector.
He stressed that unlocking Nigeria’s full electricity potential would require coordinated investments across generation, gas supply, transmission, and distribution segments of the industry.
“While TCN has expanded transmission capacity to 8,700MW, increased generation dispatch, adequate energy supply to power plants, and stronger distribution networks remain essential to delivering more electricity to consumers,” he said.
The TCN chief also emphasised the need for a financially viable electricity market driven by cost-reflective tariffs, improved revenue collection, stronger payment discipline, and a stable regulatory environment.
Speaking on ongoing reforms, Abdulaziz reaffirmed TCN’s support for the implementation of the Electricity Act 2023, which established the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) and seeks to create a more competitive electricity market.
He said TCN remains a critical institution in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), bringing over $1.4 billion in active development financing, a workforce of more than 5,000 professionals, and decades of operational experience in managing the national grid.
The company urged the National Assembly to strengthen legal protections for electricity infrastructure, ensure adequate funding for priority transmission projects, enforce rights-of-way protection, and support policies that would enhance the financial sustainability of the power sector.
Abdulaziz concluded that Nigeria’s electricity challenges are well understood and can be resolved through sustained political commitment, coordinated action, and effective implementation of existing policies and reforms. While reaffirming TCN’s commitment to working with government, regulators, investors, and other stakeholders to build a stronger, more resilient, and modern transmission network capable of supporting the country’s economic growth and industrial development.
Core Reporters report that the summit was conveyed to review Nigeria’s Electric Power & Gas Sector Reforms from 2007-2024 with all key sector players in attendance.
