General News
TCN Defends N1.28bn Solar Streetlight Projects, Says They Were National Assembly Interventions
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has defended its implementation of solar streetlight projects valued at N1.28 billion, insisting that the projects were National Assembly constituency interventions approved in the Federal Government’s budget and not initiatives conceived by the company.
The clarification followed a report by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), which alleged that TCN spent N1.28 billion on solar streetlight projects outside its statutory mandate.
In a statement issued on Friday, TCN’s management explained that the projects were nominated by members of the National Assembly for vulnerable communities and included in the Federal Government’s approved appropriation, with TCN designated as the implementing agency.
According to the company, it neither initiated nor requested the projects, stressing that it merely executed them in line with established government procedures.
TCN also dismissed suggestions that the projects were funded from its internally generated revenue, explaining that the funds were appropriated by the Federal Government and approved by President Bola Tinubu.
It stated that all payments were processed through the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) and complied fully with existing financial regulations, while procurement received the necessary approvals from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).
The company argued that the installation of solar streetlights in communities across Jigawa, Kano and Kogi states was intended to improve security around critical electricity infrastructure.
According to TCN, experience has shown that well-lit communities help reduce vandalism, theft and bush burning, thereby protecting the national transmission network, whose 330kV and 132kV transmission lines span the country.
It maintained that although its primary responsibility remains the transmission of bulk electricity nationwide, it is legally empowered to implement constituency and other Federal Government projects assigned to it.
“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,” the statement said.
The company further noted that all contracts, including the seven payments cited by FIJ to Au Step Nigeria Limited, Empire Technical Projects Construction Services Limited and Ideal Engineering & Construction Company Limited, were awarded in strict compliance with the Public Procurement Act, adding that the projects are being monitored to ensure quality delivery.
TCN urged media organisations and other stakeholders to verify information with the company before publication, saying this would promote factual, balanced and accurate reporting while preventing the spread of misinformation.
The company reaffirmed its commitment to its core mandate of transmitting bulk electricity across Nigeria while transparently implementing projects assigned to it by the Federal Government and the National Assembly.
