TCN compensates residents over transmission infrastructure expansion along Kaduna-Kano axis

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has commenced the second phase of compensation for Project Affected Persons (PAPs) impacted by the 330kV Double Circuit QUAD Conductor Mando–Rimin Zakara transmission line project.

TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, in a statement made available to Tribune Online, said the exercise commenced with a screening and verification phase, during which affected persons were required to present original documents for authentication before payment.

The statement added that the transmission line will run from the Mando Transmission Substation in Kaduna State to the Rimin Zakara Transmission Substation in Kano State, with a Turn-In Turn-Out (TITO) connection at the new 2x150MVA 330/132/33kV substation in Jaja, Zaria.

According to TCN, the project is one of the major transmission reinforcement projects in Northern Nigeria, connecting critical load centres across the Kaduna, Zaria, and Kano industrial corridors. It is being implemented with support from the Federal Government of Nigeria and the African Development Bank (AfDB).

Speaking on the compensation process, Ndidi said: “The process was designed to ensure that all legitimate claimants were properly identified and duly compensated, in line with TCN’s commitment to accountability and due process.”

She added that TCN prioritises clearing the Right of Way (RoW) before the commencement of any transmission project, in line with its standard operating procedures, to ensure safety, protect the integrity of infrastructure, and enable seamless project execution.

Speaking during the exercise, the Project Manager, Engineer Omobola Odusoga Sobo, stated that 5,500 Project Affected Persons had been enumerated for compensation along the Mando–Rimin Zakara transmission corridor, with the second phase covering approximately 2,000 PAPs.

While acknowledging the support of TCN’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Engineer Sule Abdulaziz, and the AfDB towards the successful implementation of the process, Engineer Sobo praised district heads and community leaders for their cooperation in sensitising residents on the importance of the project and the compensation exercise.

The project is part of broader efforts to expand Nigeria’s electricity transmission wheeling capacity and improve grid reliability and redundancy nationwide.