TCN MD Identifies Three Key Interventions to Boost Nigeria’s Power Supply
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Engr. (Dr.) Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, has identified three critical interventions needed to bridge Nigeria’s electricity supply gap and unlock the country’s power generation potential.
Abdulaziz said the interventions include restoring unavailable generation capacity, strengthening transmission infrastructure and addressing liquidity challenges in the electricity market.
He made this known while speaking at the 2026 Energy Conference and Exhibition held at the Landmark Centre in Lagos, where he stressed that Nigeria’s electricity challenges go beyond its installed generation capacity of over 13,000 megawatts (MW).
According to him, the country must focus on ensuring that generated electricity is available, can be transmitted reliably to consumers and is supported by a commercially sustainable electricity market.
“Nigeria’s electricity challenge is not simply a question of how much generation capacity has been installed. It is whether that capacity is available, can be dispatched, can be carried reliably through the network, and can be sustained by a functioning commercial market,” he said.
The TCN boss explained that although Nigeria has installed generation capacity exceeding 13,000MW, the electricity available to consumers remains significantly below that level.
He identified restoring more generation as the first and most important intervention, calling for reliable gas supply, predictable payments across the gas-to-power value chain and coordinated maintenance to minimise unnecessary power plant shutdowns.
Abdulaziz also called for existing policy frameworks, including the Nigeria Integrated Resource Plan and the National Integrated Electricity Policy, to be translated into measurable improvements in electricity generation.
He stressed that progress should be measured by the additional electricity made available to the national grid and delivered to consumers rather than the number of policies and plans developed.
On transmission infrastructure, the TCN managing director disclosed that the company has a simulated wheeling capacity of approximately 8,700MW, noting that actual electricity evacuation depends on the availability of transmission lines and transformers, network stability and the capacity of distribution companies to receive power.
He revealed that TCN installed 82 power transformers between January 2024 and November 2025, adding approximately 8,500 megavolt-amperes (MVA) to the country’s transformation capacity.
According to him, the company is prioritising critical network reinforcement and rehabilitation, improved availability of transmission lines and transformers, stronger protection systems and enhanced real-time monitoring through Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition/Energy Management System (SCADA/EMS) tools.
He added that disciplined maintenance, faster responses to faults and improved coordination among generation, transmission and distribution companies are essential to delivering more electricity to consumers.
The third intervention, Abdulaziz said, is addressing liquidity challenges in the electricity market by strengthening commercial arrangements and ensuring that payment obligations are met across the value chain.
He warned that improvements in generation and transmission infrastructure would not be sustainable without resolving payment shortfalls.
He identified credible metering and energy accounting, transparent settlement systems, improved revenue collection, enforcement of market obligations and predictable contractual arrangements as necessary steps to strengthen the electricity market.
Proposing a way forward, the TCN chief executive called for a 100-day implementation scorecard based on existing sectoral plans.
He said the scorecard should measure additional generation made available, megawatts constrained by verified transmission bottlenecks and commercial actions required to sustain electricity supply.
Abdulaziz emphasised that every action must have a designated lead institution, a clear deadline and a measurable outcome.
He explained that the priorities were deliberately ranked to first restore unavailable generation, remove transmission constraints preventing electricity from reaching consumers and finally strengthen the commercial arrangements required to sustain supply.
The TCN managing director reaffirmed the company’s commitment to maintaining a resilient transmission network, expanding electricity transfer capacity and strengthening collaboration among stakeholders across the power sector.
The event featured exhibitions by leading energy sector players and was attended by the Minister of Power, Mr. Joseph Tegbe; the Lagos State Governor’s representative and Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr. Biodun Ogunleye; Group President of SkipperSeil Group, Mr. Jitender Kumar Sachdeva; as well as industry leaders, development partners, investors and other stakeholders.
