FG adds 640MW to grid with six new substations

KANO, Nigeria — The Federal Government has commissioned six transmission substations in Kano and Katsina states, adding 640 megawatts (MW) of electricity transmission capacity to the national grid as it works to strengthen the country’s power infrastructure.

Four substations at Walalambe, Kumbotso, Dakata and Dan-Agundi in Kano State together add 544MW. Two 60 megavolt-ampere (MVA) substations in Kankia Local Government Area of Katsina State add another 96MW.

The Ministry of Power announced the projects in a statement released on Saturday, October 24, 2026. The commissioning ceremonies were held earlier in the week.

The extra capacity is meant to help the transmission network move available electricity to distribution companies and consumers in both states.

Speaking at the commissioning of the Kankia substations on Friday, October 23, Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe said the projects reflected President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to better electricity infrastructure. He said dependable infrastructure is needed for businesses to expand and for jobs and growth to follow.

The Kankia substations are two 60 MVA, 132/33 kilovolt facilities designed to strengthen the transmission network serving Katsina State and nearby areas. Tegbe urged residents to protect the facilities from vandalism and to report suspicious activity to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) or to security agencies.

Katsina State Governor Dikko Umaru Radda called the project a significant investment in the state’s electricity infrastructure. He said better supply could support industrial growth, economic activity and public services.

The new substations add transmission capacity, not generation. Their effect on supply will depend on how much power generating plants produce and on whether distribution networks can carry it to customers.

The projects are part of a wider push to remove bottlenecks in the transmission network, which has limited how much electricity reaches distribution companies and end users. The Ministry said earlier transformer commissionings at Apapa, Ijora, Alausa and Lekki had unlocked 672MW of additional capacity, and a 300 MVA transformer at Katampe added 240MW.

The government is also coordinating a pilot for 24-hour electricity supply along the Lagos corridor under its proposed 24/7 Energy Zones initiative, and it plans to expand metering to improve billing.