TCN, Ikeja Electric Clash Over Power Outages As Lagos Residents, Businesses Bear The Brunt
By Sherif Salau
Lagos residents and business owners grappling with recent power outages have been left caught in a blame game between the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and Ikeja Electric, as both organisations offer conflicting explanations for the electricity supply shortfall recorded on November 3 and 4.
This week Ikeja Electric issued a public notice attributing several Band A feeder outages recorded on 3 and 4 November to “grid instability” and pointing to TCN as the party responsible. Band A customers, who pay higher tariffs in exchange for an expected minimum of 20 hours of daily supply, have been particularly vocal about the shortfalls. The notice formed part of a pattern of apologies the company has issued in recent weeks as supply fell short of the promised standard.
TCN responded sharply the following day. In a statement, the transmission company described Ikeja Electric’s explanation as inaccurate and misleading. It insisted that the disruptions stemmed primarily from inadequate power generation rather than any failure on the transmission network. “TCN can only transmit the energy made available to it and cannot transmit energy that is not generated,” the company stated.
According to TCN, the Nigerian Independent System Operator had already clarified the broader picture. NISO attributed the current decline in available power to constraints in gas supply to thermal stations and reduced output from hydroelectric plants caused by lower reservoir inflows. Under the Electricity Act 2023, TCN noted, determining the root cause of grid disturbances falls to NISO, not to individual distribution companies.
The transmission company backed its position with figures. Of the interruptions recorded on feeders supplying Ikeja Electric on 1 and 2 November, 68 per cent resulted from frequency-control load shedding linked to low generation. Another 26 per cent were tied to Ikeja Electric’s alleged non-compliance with load allocations issued by NISO’s National Control Centre, or to faults and maintenance on the distribution company’s own network. The remaining 6 per cent involved TCN’s planned maintenance, switching or line limitations. None, TCN emphasised, was caused by equipment failure or a trip on its system.
For the specific 33kV feeders listed in Ikeja Electric’s notice, TCN said 29 of the 46 recorded interruptions arose from low-generation load shedding, while 14 were attributed to the distribution company—nine for non-compliance with load allocation and five for faults or trips on its network. Three others related to scheduled TCN work on the Ogba–Alimosho line.
The exchange leaves ordinary Lagosians in the middle. Households face interrupted power for cooking, studying and cooling. Small businesses that rely on consistent supply to operate machinery or serve customers absorb higher costs from generators or lost productivity. Larger commercial and industrial users on Band A feeders, who already pay premium rates, express particular irritation when the promised reliability fails to materialise.
The dispute highlights deeper structural challenges in Nigeria’s power sector: gas supply bottlenecks, seasonal fluctuations in hydroelectric output, and the persistent difficulty of matching generation with demand across a constrained network. While TCN and Ikeja Electric trade explanations, the practical consequence remains the same for those who depend on the service. Until generation recovers and the coordination between transmission and distribution improves, residents and businesses across Lagos will continue to carry the cost of unreliable electricity.
