TCN WARNS RIGHT-OF-WAY ISSUES DELAY 624MW ABUJA POWER PROJECT
Read Time:2 Minute, 31 Second
By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has raised alarms over persistent right-of-way challenges that are stalling the completion of a major power transmission project expected to deliver about 624 megawatts of electricity to Abuja and surrounding areas, urging urgent intervention by the Federal Government.
The warning was issued on Thursday during an inspection tour of key components of the Abuja Feeding Scheme Project by Olugbenga Ajiboye, Executive Director, Transmission System Provider at TCN. He disclosed that while several substations under the project are completed and ready for energisation, delays in clearing transmission corridors have prevented power delivery to downstream facilities.
“Our general assessment is that we are nowhere near where we expected to be because we are so constrained,” Ajiboye said. “Especially here, the line route has been constrained, and we are working around the clock to make sure it is freed. Until we get supply to Wumba, Kuje cannot also be energized.”
Ajiboye described the right-of-way issue as the single biggest obstacle to the project, citing resistance from individuals and influential interests along the transmission routes. “It’s unfortunate that many people are determined that we will not pass where the line is supposed to be. There are even powerful people involved. We appeal to people in government to intervene,” he added.
The inspection tour was conducted to allow TCN management to escalate the matter to higher authorities, with Ajiboye confirming that over 91 per cent of the project has been completed. He stressed that final timelines for delivery remain uncertain until the right-of-way bottlenecks are resolved.
The Abuja Feeding Scheme Project, funded by the French Development Agency, includes five substations, 143 kilometres of 330kV transmission lines from Lafia in Nasarawa State to Abuja, and 81 kilometres of 132kV lines within the Federal Capital Territory. The project began in April 2019 and was originally scheduled for completion in December 2022.
Project consultant Anthony Uuajamah highlighted the technical capacity of the scheme, noting that the Kuje substation is a 3×60 MVA facility with nine outgoing feeders, while the Wumba substation is a 2×60 MVA facility. In total, the project will deliver approximately 624 megawatts of power once completed.
He added that the project would significantly improve electricity supply across Abuja and neighbouring communities, provided the right-of-way issues are promptly resolved.
The Abuja Feeding Scheme is part of broader transmission expansion efforts aimed at reducing chronic power shortages, grid congestion, and load-shedding in the Federal Capital Territory, where electricity demand continues to outpace supply.
The delay coincides with the Federal Government’s push for increased generation and grid reliability, including the ongoing 350MW Abuja Independent Power Project being developed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited. The Nigerian Independent System Operator earlier described the Abuja IPP as a critical step toward achieving the national target of 8,500MW of grid generation capacity by the end of 2026, emphasizing the need for seamless coordination between generation and transmission infrastructure.
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