TCN Defends Solar Streetlight Projects, Says National Assembly Approved Constituency Interventions

By Jabiru Hassan

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has clarified that the solar streetlight projects recently questioned in a report by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) were National Assembly constituency interventions implemented under approved Federal Government appropriations.

In a statement, TCN said the projects were not initiated by the company but were included in its capital budget by the National Assembly, which designated TCN as the implementing agency in line with established government procedures.

The company explained that the funding did not come from its Internally Generated Revenue but from appropriations approved by the Federal Government. It added that all payments were processed through the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) and complied with existing financial regulations.

According to TCN, procurement for the projects received the necessary approvals from relevant agencies, including the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), and followed the provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.

The company said the constituency projects, implemented in parts of Jigawa, Kano and Kogi states, were intended to improve security, enhance visibility in vulnerable communities and help protect critical power infrastructure from vandalism.

Responding to the FIJ report, TCN maintained that executing constituency projects assigned by the National Assembly does not conflict with its statutory responsibility of transmitting bulk electricity nationwide.

The company urged media organisations to verify information with it before publication to ensure balanced and accurate reporting, adding that it remains committed to transparency and the effective implementation of government-assigned projects.