Power: Tegbe commissions projects in Kano, Katsina, adds 616MW to grid

..... As Abdulaziz, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of TCN reaffirms TCN’s commitment to expanding and modernising the national transmission network,.

..... Says the company would continue collaborating with the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO), Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) and other stakeholders to improve electricity delivery.

..... Urges communities to protect public infrastructure, respect transmission right-of-way corridors and report suspicious activities."

By Emmanuel Oyoyo-Onotevure

The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has commissioned transmission substation projects in Kano and Katsina states, adding significant capacity to the national grid and strengthening electricity supply to industrial, commercial and residential areas.

The projects, commissioned on Thursday and Friday, October 22 and 23, 2026, include new and upgraded transmission facilities designed to ease pressure on existing substations, improve bulk power delivery and accommodate growing electricity demand.

In Katsina, Tegbe commissioned two 60MVA transformers at the Kankia Transmission Substation, increasing its installed capacity from 60MVA to 150MVA, and performed the groundbreaking ceremony for a new 120MVA substation at Mashi. He also inspected the ongoing 200MVA gas-insulated substation (GIS) project at the 330kV Katsina Substation.

Speaking at Kankia, the minister said the projects reflected President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the administration’s commitment to strengthening the power sector as a foundation for national development.

He said the Mashi project, upon completion, would add 96MW to the network, improving electricity supply to the community and neighbouring areas. He added that issues relating to right-of-way and compensation for project-affected persons had been resolved, paving the way for construction.

The minister acknowledged the World Bank’s support for the projects, which are being implemented by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Power and the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

In Kano State, Tegbe commissioned the Walalambe Transmission Substation, equipped with two 40MVA transformers, alongside new 300MVA and 100MVA transformers at the Kumbotso Transmission Substation. Additional 100MVA transformers were commissioned at the Dakata and Dan Agundi substations.

He said the projects would strengthen electricity supply to Kano’s industrial and commercial corridors, ease congestion at existing facilities and create opportunities for increased production, investment and employment.

Tegbe also highlighted the connection of the Lee Group of Companies to the national grid through a dedicated 33kV feeder, ending the company’s reliance on off-grid electricity for more than 30 years.

He disclosed that the ministry was prioritising the development of three energy zones to promote balanced electricity supply nationwide, pledging to work with the Kano State Government and other stakeholders to coordinate interventions and avoid duplication.

The minister urged host communities to protect the facilities against vandalism, stressing that the sustainability of the investments depended on collective vigilance.

Earlier, TCN Managing Director, Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, said the projects would address transmission capacity constraints while improving operational efficiency through modernised control rooms, digital control and protection panels, expanded busbars and additional outgoing feeders.

Abdulaziz reaffirmed TCN’s commitment to expanding and modernising the national transmission network, adding that the company would continue collaborating with the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO), Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) and other stakeholders to improve electricity delivery.

He also urged communities to protect public infrastructure, respect transmission right-of-way corridors and report suspicious activities.