Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Power, working through the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and alongside the Kano State Government, has brought four transmission substations into service, adding 544MW of electricity wheeling capacity to the state’s grid.
Key takeaways
- The newly commissioned facilities are located in Walalambe, Kumbotso, Dakata and Dan-Agundi.
- New and upgraded transformers include 80MW at Walalambe, major 330kV equipment at Kumbotso, and 100MVA additions at both Dakata and Dan-Agundi.
- The works are intended to improve electricity delivery to industrial users, businesses and households across Kano.
- Lee Group has returned to the national grid after relying on self-generation for more than three decades.
- Restored capacity at Dan-Agundi will support Kano’s old city, the Emir’s Palace and nearby communities.
Transmission upgrades expand Kano grid capacity
At Walalambe, TCN installed a new substation capable of handling 80MW, equipped with two 40MVA transformers. The Kumbotso project includes 300MVA and 100MVA transformers operating at the 330kV level. Dakata and Dan-Agundi each received an extra 100MVA transformer at 132kV.
Power Minister Joseph Tegbe inaugurated the projects with Mahmuda Mamman, the ministry’s permanent secretary; TCN Managing Director Engr. Sule Abdulaziz; Kano State’s commissioner for energy; and other officials.
The investments are designed to raise the volume of bulk power available across Kano, while reducing strain on existing overloaded substations and accommodating electricity demand that had previously gone unmet. The additional network capacity is expected to serve the state’s industrial districts, commercial centres and residential neighbourhoods.
Industrial and community supply improvements
Six outgoing feeders from the Walalambe facility will provide supply routes for the Tokarawa Industrial Area, Eastern Bypass, Maiduguri Road, Hadejia Road and nearby communities.
Lee Group, a significant industrial operator, has been reconnected to the national grid after operating independently of it for more than 30 years. At Dan-Agundi, rehabilitation has restored a substantial share of capacity lost after fire damage, improving the substation’s ability to serve Kano’s historic city area, the Emir’s Palace and surrounding locations.
The government expects the projects to provide a stronger electricity backbone for manufacturers, assist small enterprises, support job creation and improve living conditions for households. The programme forms part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which positions power-sector reform and infrastructure spending as key tools for national development and broader economic opportunity.
