The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has revealed that Nigeria supplies 24-hour electricity to neighboring countries Togo and Benin, despite the country’s own struggles with power supply. According to TCN’s Managing Director, Sule Abdulaziz, these countries receive power from Nigeria on a 24-hour basis and pay for it.
Within Nigeria, however, power supply is categorized into three bands. Band A customers receive 20-22 hours of power supply, Band B customers get 16-20 hours, and Band C customers receive 12-16 hours of power each day.
Abdulaziz expressed optimism that Nigeria can achieve consistent power supply within five years, citing the new minister’s focus on addressing underlying problems rather than just superficial solutions. He also clarified that system collapses are not always the fault of TCN, as issues can arise from generation, transmission, or distribution, and even natural disasters.
Additionally, Abdulaziz highlighted the need to upgrade outdated infrastructure, with much of the equipment being over 50 years old. On electricity costs, he argued that Nigeria’s rates are relatively affordable compared to other African countries.
It’s worth noting that in May 2024, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) directed the System Operator to limit power supply to Benin, Niger, and Togo to 6% of total output to boost domestic power availability.