TCN Explains N1.28 Billion Solar Streetlight Spending, Says Project Was Assigned by Federal Government
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has explained why it disbursed N1.28 billion for solar streetlight projects, stating that the initiative was not part of its core responsibilities but was officially assigned by the Federal Government through the 2026 budget.
The clarification came after reports revealed that the company made payments for solar streetlight projects during May and June 2026, raising concerns about why an electricity transmission agency was funding projects outside its statutory mandate.
In a statement issued on Saturday by TCN spokesperson Ndidi Mbah, the company stressed that it neither proposed nor initiated the solar streetlight projects.
According to TCN, the projects were included in its capital budget by the National Assembly as constituency projects under the 2026 Appropriation Act, with the company designated as the implementing agency.
The agency further explained that the funds used for the projects were not generated from its operations or internally generated revenue (IGR). Instead, they were federal government allocations approved as part of the national budget.
TCN maintained that carrying out the projects should not be interpreted as abandoning its primary responsibility of transmitting electricity across the country.
The company noted that government agencies are sometimes assigned to execute constituency or special intervention projects approved in the federal budget, even when such projects fall outside their traditional responsibilities.
Despite implementing the solar streetlight projects, TCN reaffirmed that its principal mandate remains the transmission of bulk electricity nationwide and insisted that the assignments were carried out in line with established government procedures.
The company also urged the public to distinguish between projects assigned through federal appropriations and its statutory role in Nigeria’s power sector, emphasizing that the solar streetlight initiative was executed strictly as directed under the approved 2026 budget.
