Power Outage Hits Five States, Niger Republic as TCN Begins Transmission Line Repairs

Power Outage Hits Five States, Niger Republic as TCN Begins Transmission Line Repairs

Abuja, Nigeria – The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has announced that Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, and parts of Bauchi and Yobe states, as well as consumers in Niger Republic, will experience a temporary power outage on Sunday as the company prepares to carry out work on a major transmission line serving the region. According to a statement signed by TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, the scheduled work, which will commence from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on May 31, 2026, is aimed at facilitating critical repair works on the Mando–Kumbotso 330kV Transmission Line, a key infrastructure component of the nation’s power transmission network. Mbah said TCN’s maintenance crew will carry out its annual maintenance exercise on the transmission line and simultaneously repair a damaged Red Phase Conductor located on Tower T187 along the route. She added that the maintenance work is necessary to ensure the continued reliability and stability of power supply across the affected region.

“The outage is necessary to enable TCN’s maintenance crew to repair a damaged Red Phase Conductor on Tower T187 along the line route. The Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) , as a result of the maintenance exercise, will be unable to receive bulk electricity supply from TCN for onward distribution to customers during the period of the outage. The maintenance work is expected to affect electricity consumers in Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa states, as well as several communities in Bauchi and Yobe states. Also, customers in Gazaoua, Niger Republic, will experience a temporary loss of power. The company, however, called for consumers’ understanding while carrying out the maintenance work, assuring them that normal electricity supply would be restored immediately after the completion of the maintenance and repair works. TCN apologises for any inconvenience this will cause consumers in the affected areas,” the statement concluded.

The planned outage is scheduled to commence at 9:00 a.m. and end by 4:00 p.m., creating a seven-hour disruption across the affected areas. According to TCN, the maintenance operation will involve the replacement and amendment of a damaged Red Phase Conductor on Tower T187 located along the transmission corridor. As a result of the work, the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) will temporarily be unable to receive electricity from the national grid for distribution to customers across Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa states, while some parts of Bauchi and Yobe states will also experience power cuts. The company further stated that communities in Gazaoua, located in the Republic of Niger and connected to Nigeria’s transmission infrastructure, would equally be affected. The full list of affected areas includes Kano State (all KEDCO customers), Katsina State (all KEDCO customers), Jigawa State (all KEDCO customers), Bauchi State (several communities, partial), Yobe State (several communities, partial), and Gazaoua, Niger Republic (complete loss of power during maintenance).

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TCN explained that the maintenance is critical to ensuring the continued reliability and stability of power supply across the affected region. The damaged conductor on Tower T187 requires immediate attention to prevent more serious technical failures that could trigger prolonged blackouts in the future. The annual maintenance exercise also allows TCN engineers to inspect and service the transmission line to forestall future disruptions. Energy experts maintain that such maintenance work is necessary for long-term stability, although they acknowledge that repeated outages continue to strain households and businesses that rely heavily on power for daily operations.

The announcement of the scheduled outage coincides with the release of the African Development Bank’s 2026 African Economic Outlook report, which highlighted the heavy toll of Nigeria’s chronic electricity shortages on businesses. According to the AfDB report, more than 70 per cent of firms in Nigeria now rely on generators, and power disruptions wipe out an estimated three per cent of annual sales. “Electricity outage losses amount to three per cent of annual sales in Nigeria, and because of this, generator reliance is widespread, with 70.7 per cent of firms in Nigeria owning or sharing generators,” the report stated. The AfDB warned that Nigeria’s power deficit reflects deeper structural and governance challenges that are forcing businesses and households to shoulder costs typically borne by the state. For millions of residents in the affected states, the seven-hour blackout means businesses will lose productive hours, households will be without power for cooking, cooling, and other daily activities, and those who can afford it will turn to expensive petrol or diesel generators. Small business owners, particularly those in the informal sector who rely on electricity for welding, tailoring, food processing, and phone charging, are likely to bear the brunt of the disruption.

The scheduled outage comes at a sensitive period for Nigeria’s electricity sector, which has been under increasing scrutiny following recent assurances by the newly appointed Minister of Power that Nigerians would begin to witness measurable improvements in electricity supply within two weeks. The planned outage also comes amid ongoing efforts by the Federal Government and the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) to address frequent grid collapses. The Presidential Adviser on Power, Mr Lanre Babalola, recently met with NISO management to fashion out a permanent solution to grid disturbances, emphasising the importance of prudent resource management and enhanced operational discipline. The new Minister of Power, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, who was recently nominated by President Bola Tinubu following the exit of Adebayo Adelabu during the cabinet reshuffle, has pledged to improve grid stability, modernise electricity infrastructure, strengthen commercial operations and ensure accountability across the power value chain. During his Senate screening, Tegbe reportedly assured lawmakers that Nigerians would see visible improvement in the sector, though he clarified that broader reforms could take up to one year to implement. The government has also been implementing the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) , popularly known as the Siemens deal, to strengthen the national grid and reduce system disturbances.

While TCN stated that the maintenance is expected to last between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., the company assured that normal electricity supply would be restored immediately after the completion of the maintenance and repair works. Sunday’s planned outage may test public patience, even though TCN insists the interruption is necessary to prevent more serious technical failures. The company appealed to affected consumers for understanding and apologised for the inconvenience the temporary outage may cause. Key facts from the announcement include the following: the date of the outage is Sunday, May 31, 2026; the time is 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (seven hours); the affected states in Nigeria are Kano, Katsina, Jigawa (fully affected), and Bauchi and Yobe (partially affected); the affected area in Niger Republic is Gazaoua; the transmission line involved is the Mando–Kumbotso 330kV Transmission Line; the reason for the outage is repair of a damaged Red Phase Conductor on Tower T187 plus annual maintenance; the distribution company affected is the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO); and power restoration is expected immediately after completion of maintenance, estimated at 4:00 p.m.

Power Outage Hits Five States, Niger Republic as TCN Begins Transmission Line Repairs