• TCN declared force majeure on the Ikeja West–Osogbo 330kV transmission line after a rainstorm
• The outage was caused by a fault traced to a section of the line about 14.9km from Ikeja West
• Alternative transmission lines are being used to reduce the impact on electricity supply

Oluwatobi Odeyinka is a business editor at Legit.ng, covering energy, the money market, technology and macroeconomic trends in Nigeria.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has declared a force majeure on the Ikeja West–Osogbo 330kV transmission line following a rainstorm that damaged a key tower, disrupting electricity transmission in parts of the South-West.

The company disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday and signed by its General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, PUNCH reported.

According to TCN, the incident occurred on Thursday, April 16, 2026, when the transmission line tripped during a storm due to a fault along the network.

The company explained that the fault was traced to a point approximately 14.9 kilometres from the Ikeja West (Ayobo) end of the line.

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“A force majeure has occurred on the Ikeja West–Osogbo 330kV transmission line following a severe rainstorm,” the statement said.

Tower collapse confirmed

TCN further revealed that a detailed inspection by its maintenance team showed that a transmission tower along the route had collapsed.

The company identified the affected structure as Tower No. 515, which reportedly gave way at its midsection during the storm.

It noted that engineers have begun dismantling the damaged tower while efforts are ongoing to mobilise materials and personnel for its reconstruction.

Strategic importance of the line

The Ikeja West–Osogbo 330kV transmission line is a major link in Nigeria’s power grid, connecting Lagos to other parts of the South-West and facilitating the bulk transfer of electricity.

Disruptions along this corridor often affect power supply in densely populated areas and commercial centres.

Efforts to restore supply

TCN said it has activated emergency response measures to restore normal operations as quickly as possible.

The company added that alternative transmission routes are being used to minimise the impact of the outage on electricity consumers.

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“We will work to restore flexibility and redundancy in that corridor as an alternative line remains in service,” the statement noted.

Ongoing grid challenges

The declaration of force majeure indicates that the disruption was caused by circumstances beyond TCN’s control, such as extreme weather conditions.

Nigeria’s transmission network has continued to face challenges, including ageing infrastructure, limited capacity, and weather-related disruptions.

Stakeholders have repeatedly called for increased investment in resilient infrastructure to reduce the impact of such incidents, especially as extreme weather events become more frequent.

NESG urges government to amend electricity law, PIA

Legit.ng earlier reported that the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) called on the National Assembly to amend key economic laws, including the Nigeria Tax Act 2015, the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), and the Electricity Act 2023, to improve Nigeria’s business environment.

The group recommended tax reforms to support small businesses and address foreign exchange cost recovery.

Stakeholders agree that reforms are necessary, but stress that effective implementation is critical.

Source: Legit.ng