TCN Adds 8,500 MVA to Nigeria’s Power Grid With $1.4bn Funding

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has added more than 8,500 megavolt-amperes (MVA) of transformation capacity to Nigeria’s electricity transmission network as part of a broader $1.4 billion infrastructure expansion programme.

The company said the funding, secured through loans and grants from multilateral development partners, is being used to rehabilitate ageing assets and expand the national grid.

Ajiboye Oluwagbenga, Executive Director of Transmission Service Provider at TCN, disclosed the development on Thursday at a training workshop in Keffi, Nasarawa State.

According to him, TCN has deployed 89 power transformers across the transmission network as part of its infrastructure development drive.

The transformer deployment includes 300 MVA units installed at strategic locations such as Katampe, Lekki, Ikeja West and Akangba.

TCN said the additional infrastructure is designed to address critical load constraints and improve the network’s ability to deliver bulk electricity to distribution companies (DisCos).

The company also expects the upgrades to strengthen the grid’s operational resilience and improve peak power delivery to homes and businesses.

“Through a blend of internally funded initiatives and over $1.4 billion in multilateral development financing, TCN is systematically rehabilitating aging assets and expanding the transmission network,” Oluwagbenga said.

The $1.4 billion financing was secured through partnerships with international development institutions and financiers, including the World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Agence Française de Développement (AFD).

TCN said the investments have significantly strengthened the transmission network and increased its potential to move more electricity across the country.

However, the company noted that the grid’s full 8,700MW capacity has not yet been physically tested.

TCN said it is also taking a conservative approach to its capacity assessment because additional transmission facilities deployed over the past six months have not yet been reflected in the current figures.