13,000MW On Paper, Darkness In Reality: TCN Boss Unveils Three Emergency Fixes to Bridge Nigeria’s Power Gap for Over 250 Million Citizens

Engr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz,TCN MD/CEO at the 2026 Energy Conference and Exhibition in Lagos.

Despite boasting more than 13,000 megawatts (MW) of installed generation capacity, Nigeria continues to battle crippling electricity shortages that leave millions of homes and businesses in darkness, highlighting the stark reality of a nation of over 250 million people struggling with a persistent power supply deficit.

Speaking at the 2026 Energy Conference and Exhibition in Lagos, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Engr. (Dr.) Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, declared that the country’s electricity crisis is no longer about how much capacity exists on paper but about how much power can actually reach consumers.

According to him, Nigeria’s power sector must urgently shift its focus from installed capacity to electricity that is available, deliverable and commercially sustainable.

“Nigeria’s electricity challenge is not simply a question of how much generation capacity has been installed. It is whether that capacity is available, can be dispatched, can be carried reliably through the network, and can be sustained by a functioning commercial market,” Abdulaziz stated.

To close the widening gap between power generation and consumer demand, the TCN boss identified three game-changing interventions that could rapidly unlock additional electricity for Nigerians.

First, unlock stranded generation. Abdulaziz described increased generation availability as the single biggest quick win.

He called for reliable gas supplies to power plants, predictable payments across the gas-to-power value chain, and better maintenance coordination to reduce plant shutdowns and wasted capacity.

Second, strengthen the transmission network. While TCN’s simulated wheeling capacity has climbed to about 8,700MW, constraints relating to infrastructure, system stability and distribution companies’ ability to take more power continue to limit supply.

He revealed that TCN installed 82 power transformers between January 2024 and November 2025, adding approximately 8,500MVA to the grid in a major effort to improve power evacuation nationwide.

Third, fix market liquidity. Abdulaziz warned that technical progress alone cannot solve Nigeria’s electricity woes if financial leakages and payment shortfalls persist.

He called for transparent billing, effective metering, improved revenue collection and stronger enforcement of market obligations to ensure sustainability across the sector.

The TCN chief further proposed a 100-day performance scorecard that would track new generation brought online, identify transmission bottlenecks, and measure commercial reforms needed to sustain power delivery.

His message comes at a critical time when Africa’s most populous nation remains trapped in a paradox, possessing significant generation assets but delivering only a fraction of that power to consumers.

For millions of Nigerians battling blackouts and relying on expensive generators, the challenge is no longer how much electricity the country can produce, but how quickly the sector can translate existing capacity into reliable power supply.

As Nigeria races to power its economy and meet the energy demands of more than 250 million citizens, Abdulaziz insists the path forward is clear: unlock generation, remove network constraints and repair the commercial foundations of the electricity market.

Only then can the country begin to convert megawatts on paper into light, productivity and economic growth for its people.