TCN Lists Achievements, 131 Vandalism Cases Hobbles Performance

. Hits all-time transmission peak of 5,801mw in 2025

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Despite experiencing 131 cases of vandalism, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) yesterday revealed that it recorded an all-time wheeling record of 5,801.84mw, with donor-funded projects hitting over $1.16 billion.

Describing it as a ‘historic milestone’, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the company, Ahmed Abdulaziz, in his end-of-year message to stakeholders, stressed that daily energy delivery also reached 128,370.75 MWh nationwide.

Abdulaziz attributed the achievement to deliberate investments in infrastructure rehabilitation, expansion of transformer capacity and sustained maintenance of transmission assets across the network, declaring that TCN’s wheeling capacity has now increased to 8,700MW.

According to the TCN chief, between January 2024 and November 2025, the company commissioned 82 new power transformers, adding over 8,500 MVA to the national grid, but lamented that vandalism remains a major threat.

According to the TCN chief executive, 131 vandalism incidents were recorded across TCN’s network between January and November 2025, but noted that the company was working closely with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), security agencies and community vigilante groups to address the challenge.

He highlighted major sector reforms in 2025, particularly the unbundling of TCN and the successful takeoff of the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO), with facilities advanced by the $1.6 Nikki donor funds being the Abuja Feeding Scheme, which involves the construction of five new substations and a new 330kV transmission line.

“A highlight of our progress came on March 4, 2025, when TCN transmitted an all-time peak generation of 5,801.84MW with a maximum daily energy of 128,370.75MWh delivered nationwide; the highest ever recorded in the country’s history,” Abdulaziz stated.

He attributed the achievement to deliberate investments in infrastructure rehabilitation, expansion of transformer capacity and sustained maintenance of transmission assets across the network.

“This year, we made deliberate strides to strengthen our infrastructure, rehabilitate ageing assets, and expand transformer capacity across the country. With these efforts, TCN’s wheeling capability has grown to 8,700MW,” he added.

While lamenting that infrastructure vandalism remained a major threat to grid stability, he revealed that 131 vandalism incidents were recorded across TCN’s network between January and November 2025, a development that hobbled performance considerably.

TCN, the sole bulk transporter of electricity in the nation’s power sector was stablished by the Electric Power Sector Reform Act of 2005, and serves as the nexus of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), with the mandate to ensure the efficient bulk transmission of electricity to distribution load centres, as well as to carry out System Operations and Market Operations.

To effectively discharge its core transmission mandate, the TCN management, Abdulaziz said, has continued to implement a strategic, well-articulated, and systematic programme known as the Nigerian Electricity Grid Maintenance, Expansion and Rehabilitation Programme (NEGMERP), which incorporates both short- and long-term objectives.

The diligent execution of this programme, he explained has accelerated progress in grid efficiency, maintenance, rehabilitation, equipment procurement, and network expansion.

“TCN currently has the capacity to wheel 8,700 MW of bulk electricity on 330kV and 132kV voltage levels from power generation plants through high-voltage transmission lines and transformers to distribution load centres nationwide.

“Over the last five years, the company has recorded outstanding success across all aspects of transmission project execution and operations, with several significant milestones achieved,” the TCN said.

As the Chief Accounting Officer, working alongside three Executive Directors in the unbundled units, the Transmission Service Provider (TSP)–TCN, he said is gradually being transformed into a world-class transmission company serving both national and international customers.