Sule Abdulaziz, Managing Director and CEO of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), stated in a recent interview on Channels TV’s Politics Tonight program that Nigeria provides 24-hour electricity to neighboring countries such as Togo and Benin, despite ongoing discussions about the country’s recent power grid failure. Abdulaziz stated, “We supply Togo, Benin, and Niger with power on a continuous basis, and they pay for it.” When asked why many Nigerians do not have uninterrupted electricity, he clarified, “While some Nigerians do have 24-hour power supply, this is not true for everyone. Those in Band A get 20 to 22 hours of electricity per day. According to the report, customers are divided into three bands: Band A, which receives 20 to 24 hours of electricity daily, Band B, which receives 16 to 20 hours, and Band C, which receives 12 to 16 hours per day.
Abdulaziz expressed optimism, claiming that a reliable electricity supply across Nigeria could be achieved in less than five years. He stated, “The new minister is actively addressing the challenges and is not just putting on a show.” Furthermore, he stated that not all system failures can be attributed to the TCN, as problems can arise from generation, transmission, distribution, or even disasters. “A system failure does not automatically imply that TCN is at fault. The TCN is in charge of managing the grid, but issues can arise from a variety of sources,” he explained.
In discussing the previous National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), Abdulaziz emphasized the distinction, saying, “People must distinguish between TCN and NEPA. As NEPA, we were in charge of generation, transmission, distribution, and marketing. We are now solely focused on transmission, but issues may arise in the generation or distribution sectors. Many people mistakenly associate TCN with NEPA and hold us accountable.
Abdulaziz also identified significant infrastructure challenges, revealing that much of the TCN’s equipment is more than five decades old. “Most of the equipment we use is more than 50 years old,” he said.
Regarding electricity costs, he believes that electricity in Nigeria remains relatively affordable. “People in Nigeria perceive electricity as expensive because they are used to lower prices. “Our electricity is less expensive than that of other African countries like Burkina Faso, Senegal, and Niger,” he concluded.