The Kano Electricity Distribution Company has voiced fresh concerns over what it described as persistent instability in the electricity it receives from the Transmission Company of Nigeria and the national grid, warning that the situation is hurting businesses and households across the Northwest.
In a statement issued on Thursday, KEDCO’s Head of Corporate Communications, Sani Bala Sani, said the company’s operations remain heavily constrained by the limited transmission routes that feed its network.
“KEDCO currently depends on only two major transmission corridors from Kaduna and Jos to supply power into the Kano Complex,” he said. “This limited redundancy puts our entire network at risk.
Whenever a fault occurs on either line, the whole region feels the impact.”
According to the company, the persistent transmission gaps have reduced supply reliability in Kano, Katsina, Jigawa and surrounding states, leaving the region vulnerable to frequent outages.
KEDCO urged the Federal Government and the Ministry of Power to intervene immediately by directing TCN to fast-track critical transmission upgrades and improve service delivery.
“We are appealing to the Federal Government to ensure TCN prioritises ongoing maintenance and expansion projects,” the statement added.
The company emphasized that stabilising the transmission backbone is essential for sustaining economic activities.
“Improved grid stability is not just a technical issue it directly affects industries, small businesses, and the welfare of millions of citizens,” KEDCO stated.
While awaiting improvements, KEDCO said it will manage available electricity to prioritise industrial clusters, commercial centres and small-scale enterprises so as to maintain economic balance across its franchise areas.
Sani also noted that recent maintenance activities particularly the installation of Optical Ground Wire on key transmission lines have contributed to recurring weekend power disruptions.
“These maintenance works are necessary, but they have created unavoidable downtimes in recent weeks,” he said.
KEDCO stressed the urgency of upgrading the Shiroro Mando Kano transmission corridor, calling for better security, routine maintenance, and capacity expansion.
“More investment is needed to strengthen infrastructure and build redundancy into the system,” the company said.
The power distributor also acknowledged the efforts of the Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa state governments in boosting local electricity projects.
“We appreciate the states for their support and ongoing investments,” Sani noted, highlighting initiatives such as the 20MW hybridisation project in Lambar Rimi (Katsina), a planned 10MW project in Gagarawa (Jigawa), and the connection of the 16MW Tiga Challawa dam power scheme in Kano.
According to the company, it is also collaborating with private investors on a proposed gas-powered plant in Tamburawa, to align with the AKK gas pipeline timelines.
