By Nkechi Eze
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has upgraded the Kumbotso Transmission Substation in Kano State, increasing its capacity to accommodate growing electricity demand and potentially improve power access for at least 220,000 households.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of TCN, Engr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, disclosed this on Thursday, October 22, 2026, during the commissioning of the upgraded facility, which he described as a significant step towards strengthening electricity transmission infrastructure in Kano and its environs.
According to his welcome address at the ceremony, the project involved replacing an existing 150MVA, 330/132kV transformer with a higher-capacity 300MVA, 330/132/33kV transformer, as well as upgrading a 40MVA, 132/33kV transformer to a 100MVA unit.
Abdulaziz explained that the improvements increased the substation’s transformation capacity at the 330/132kV level from 600MVA to 750MVA, representing a 25 per cent increase.
At the 132/33kV level, he said capacity had risen from 220MVA to 280MVA, an increase of approximately 27.3 per cent.
The TCN chief executive noted that the expanded capacity at the 132/33kV level translated to an increase from 176MW to 224MW at a power factor of 0.8, providing additional capacity to accommodate electricity demand and support future growth.
He, however, explained that the potential improvement in electricity access for at least 220,000 households would depend on available power supply and the capacity of the distribution network.
Abdulaziz said the project was particularly important to Kano, which remains a major commercial and manufacturing hub in Northern Nigeria, stressing that transmission infrastructure must keep pace with the growing electricity needs of households, businesses and industries.
According to him, the project was implemented by the Federal Ministry of Power and TCN, with funding from the World Bank and Messrs. China Energy Engineering Group Jiangsu Power Design Institute (JSPDI) serving as the contractor.
He disclosed that the project was awarded in June 2021 and completed in June 2026, covering the supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the transformers, alongside associated electrical connections, support structures, auxiliary equipment and control and protection systems.
The TCN managing director commended the World Bank for its continued support for Nigeria’s power infrastructure development, while acknowledging the contributions of the Federal Ministry of Power, the contractor, engineers, technical personnel and other stakeholders involved in delivering the project.
He said the upgrade aligned with the objectives of the Nigerian Electricity Grid Maintenance, Expansion and Rehabilitation Programme (NEGMERP) and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritise improvements in critical infrastructure and economic development.
Abdulaziz reiterated TCN’s commitment to strengthening and expanding the national transmission network to improve the delivery of bulk electricity to distribution companies.
He also called on communities, businesses and other stakeholders to protect transmission facilities against vandalism and encroachment on rights of way, warning that safeguarding the infrastructure was essential to sustaining the benefits of investments in the power sector.
The commissioning ceremony was attended by Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, the Minister of Power, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, representatives of the World Bank, officials of the Kano Electricity Distribution Company, traditional rulers and other stakeholders in the power sector.
