Precious Anga
Lagos — The Transmission Company of Nigeria has defended its role in the execution of ₦1.28 billion worth of solar-powered streetlight projects, insisting that the controversial interventions were lawfully captured in the 2026 Appropriation Act by the National Assembly and not initiated by the company.
The clarification follows growing public criticism after investigations into the 2026 Federal Government budget revealed that several federal agencies, including TCN, were allocated constituency projects considered unrelated to their statutory responsibilities. The revelations triggered renewed scrutiny over the increasing practice of assigning specialised government agencies to execute projects outside their core mandates.
The controversy gathered momentum after budget documents showed that TCN was designated to implement solar streetlight projects in Jigawa, Kano and Kogi states despite its statutory responsibility of transmitting bulk electricity across Nigeria’s national grid.
The development drew criticism from public finance experts and industry stakeholders, who questioned why the company was executing streetlight projects while the country’s transmission network continues to face funding constraints, ageing infrastructure, vandalism and recurring grid disturbances. The criticism also comes against the backdrop of TCN’s repeated complaints that inadequate funding has delayed the completion of more than 100 transmission projects nationwide.
Responding to the controversy on Friday, TCN denied initiating the projects, maintaining that they were inserted into its capital budget by the National Assembly, which subsequently designated the company as the implementing agency.
“TCN did not initiate or request for these projects. They were included in TCN’s capital projects by the National Assembly, with the company designated as the implementing agency by the relevant authorities, in line with established government practice,” the company said.
The utility explained that the interventions were nominated by members of the House of Representatives and the Senate to improve security in vulnerable communities, enhance visibility, stimulate socio-economic activities and protect critical electricity infrastructure from vandalism and theft.
According to the company, its involvement was based on the belief that well-lit communities contribute to safeguarding transmission assets.
“Experience has shown that well-lit communities help boost public confidence, reduce vandalism and theft, and ultimately safeguard the integrity of the national grid,” TCN stated.
The company stressed that while its primary mandate remains the transmission of bulk electricity nationwide, it has consistently undertaken public sensitisation campaigns on electrical safety, protection of transmission assets and the dangers of vandalism and bush burning, arguing that the solar streetlight interventions complement those efforts.
TCN further argued that there is no legal provision preventing a government agency from implementing projects assigned to it by the National Assembly, provided due process is followed.
“It is also worthy of note that, as a government agency, there is no provision in law prohibiting TCN from executing projects assigned to it by the National Assembly or other arms of government, provided due process is followed in accordance with the Public Procurement Act, 2007,” it added.
The company insisted that the projects should not be interpreted as a departure from its statutory responsibilities.
“While TCN’s core statutory mandate remains bulk power transmission, the company is empowered to execute constituency and other Federal Government projects when duly assigned. These interventions should not be erroneously interpreted as a deviation from TCN’s primary responsibility as the transporter of bulk electricity nationwide,” the statement said.
Despite TCN’s defence, the controversy has reignited debate over the growing inclusion of constituency projects in the budgets of federal agencies whose statutory mandates are unrelated to such interventions. Transparency advocates argue that the practice weakens institutional accountability, stretches agency resources and diverts attention from critical operational priorities.
The debate also comes as TCN continues to seek increased funding to strengthen Nigeria’s transmission infrastructure, improve grid stability and evacuate additional electricity generated across the country, raising fresh questions over whether limited public resources should be channelled towards expanding the national grid instead of projects that could be implemented by agencies with direct responsibility for community infrastructure.
