The Managing Director and CEO of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Sule Abdulaziz, has disclosed that Nigeria provides 24-hour electricity to neighboring countries Togo and Benin, despite ongoing concerns over power supply within the country.
“We supply Togo, Benin, and Niger. They get power from Nigeria on a 24-hour basis, and they are paying for it,” Abdulaziz stated during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Tonight program on Sunday. His comments come in the wake of a recent power grid collapse that has sparked nationwide discussions on Nigeria’s electricity challenges.
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When questioned about why many Nigerians do not experience the same uninterrupted power, Abdulaziz responded, “Nigerians are getting 24-hour supply, but it’s not everyone. Those in Band A receive 20-22 hours of power supply.”
Band A customers are prioritized with 20-24 hours of electricity, Band B customers get 16-20 hours, and Band C customers receive 12-16 hours of power each day.
Expressing optimism about the country’s energy future, Abdulaziz stated, “I am telling you we can get consistent power supply in less than five years. The new minister is looking at the problems, he is not doing cosmetic showdowns.”
He clarified that not all system collapses stem from the TCN, explaining, “If there is a system collapse, it doesn’t mean all the problems are from TCN, it can be from generation, it can be from transmission, it can be from distribution. Some of these can also come from disaster.”
Abdulaziz also addressed misconceptions about the TCN, stressing that it should not be confused with the now-defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA). “People have to understand the difference between the TCN and NEPA. When we were NEPA, we were doing generation, transmission, distribution, and marketing. But now, we are only handling transmission,” he explained, noting that issues in other areas, such as generation and distribution, can impact overall electricity supply.
The TCN boss highlighted infrastructure challenges as another significant hurdle, lamenting that much of the equipment is outdated. “Most of the equipment we use is over 50 years old,” he said.
In defense of Nigeria’s electricity costs, Abdulaziz argued that, compared to other African nations, electricity in Nigeria is relatively affordable.
“Electricity is now expensive in Nigeria, we feel it is expensive because we are getting it at a cheaper price. If you go to other African countries, go to Burkina Faso, Senegal, Niger; Nigeria is cheaper,” he added.
