TCN and AfDB are moving to increase electricity supply to the Southeast

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said work has begun on the reconstruction and upgrade of the 138 km long Alaoji–Onitsha 330 kilovolt (kV) transmission line.

According to a company statement released on Monday, the project is being implemented in partnership with the African Development Bank (AfDB).

The company said initial work includes implementation of the resettlement action plan (RAP), and acquisition and release of rights of way (RoW).

TCN said the exercise will upgrade the existing single-circuit line to a 330kV double-circuit four-conductor transmission line.

The company said compensation has been paid to project affected persons (PAPs) between March 31 and April 2, 2026, across Abia and Imo states, covering eight local government areas along the transmission corridor.

Speaking on the development, Aromeh Adole, assistant general manager (health, safety and environment) for the AfDB project implementation unit, said that affected residents have been given a grace period of 90 days to vacate the RoW after receiving compensation.

“The existing line is a single circuit, while the new line will carry four times the capacity, fundamentally changing the distribution of electricity on a large scale in the Southeast,” said Adole.

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He added that the project is expected to be completed within 18 months.

Edeh Alexander, acting project manager for the Nigeria Transmission Expansion Project (NTEP-1), also commended President Bola Tinubu for the release of funds for the project.

Alexander, representing Aminu Tahir, general manager of program coordination, said the federal government is providing matching funds to ensure timely and fair compensation for affected people.

He also praised Sule Abdulaziz, managing director of TCN, for providing leadership that enabled the project to progress.

According to Alexander, this upgrade will significantly increase the volume of electricity delivered to the Alaoji and Port Harcourt axes, Abia state and the wider southeast region.

He added that the transition to double-circuit quad conductors will reduce transmission losses and improve network reliability.

TCN said the project is part of a broader strategy to expand the national power grid and increase electricity supply to industrial and residential centers across the country.