The completion of the 624-megawatt Abuja Feeding Scheme, designed to significantly boost electricity supply to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is being delayed by persistent right-of-way (RoW) challenges, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has said.
The donor-funded project, which is about 91 per cent completed, is expected to ease power shortages in Abuja and surrounding areas once fully delivered.
The scheme comprises five substations located at Dawaki, Lugbe, Kuje, Wumba and Apo, as well as associated 132kV transmission lines linking the facilities.
Speaking after an inspection of the project on Thursday, TCN’s Executive Director, Transmission Service Provider, Engr. Oluwagbenga Ajiboye, said the major setbacks were occurring along transmission line routes, particularly around the Wumba axis, and called for urgent government intervention.
“We are not where we expected to be because of the constraints we are facing, especially on the right-of-way along the transmission routes,” Ajiboye said. “We are working round the clock to resolve these issues so the project can be completed.”
He disclosed that two of the substations are already completed and ready for energisation, but delays at critical points have prevented the extension of supply to other locations.
“Except for the areas affected by these challenges, the substations are ready. Once supply gets to this point, Wumba, which is very close, will be energised, and Kuje will also receive power immediately the issues are resolved,” he said.
Ajiboye lamented resistance from some individuals occupying approved transmission corridors, noting that some of those involved were influential.
“It is unfortunate that some Nigerians do not see this project as beneficial to everyone. There are people insisting that transmission lines must not pass through approved routes, and some of them are very powerful,” he said.
He appealed to relevant government authorities to intervene and engage the affected parties to enable access to the routes, stressing that right-of-way disputes remain the project’s biggest challenge.
Also speaking, the project consultant, Engr. Anthony Uuajamah, said the Kuje substation (Lot 5A) is a 3x60MVA facility with nine outgoing feeders, while the Wumba substation (Lot 5B) has a 2x60MVA capacity.
He added that the project includes multiple substation and transmission line extensions, with a total of about thirteen 60MVA transformers, translating to an overall capacity of approximately 624 megawatts.