The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has confirmed paying N1.28 billion for solar streetlight projects, despite acknowledging that the projects fall outside its statutory mandate.
In a statement issued on Saturday, TCN’s spokesperson, Ndidi Mbah, said the projects were executed as part of National Assembly constituency projects captured in the 2026 Appropriation Act.
The clarification followed reports that the company disbursed N1.28 billion between May and June 2026 for the installation of solar streetlights.
According to TCN, it neither initiated nor requested the projects, explaining that they were inserted into its capital budget by the National Assembly, which also designated the company as the implementing agency.
“TCN did not initiate or request these projects. They were included in TCN’s capital budget by the National Assembly, with the company designated as the implementing agency by the relevant authorities, in line with established government practice,” the statement said.
The company stressed that the funds used for the projects were federal government appropriations approved under the 2026 budget and not sourced from its internally generated revenue.
TCN further maintained that although its primary responsibility remains the transmission of bulk electricity across Nigeria, it is legally empowered to execute constituency and other federal government projects when officially assigned.
It added that the implementation of the solar streetlight projects should not be interpreted as a departure from its core mandate of managing the national electricity transmission network.
