ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-The Transmission Company of Nigeria has urged enhanced cooperation with the Lagos State Government to protect vital power infrastructure as rapid urban growth continues to place increasing strain on transmission corridors across the state.
The call was made on Tuesday by the General Manager (Transmission), TCN Lagos Region, Mojeed Akintola, during a courtesy visit by the company’s management team to the Lagos State Planning and Environmental Monitoring Authority.
Akintola emphasised that stronger inter-agency collaboration was necessary to curb encroachment on transmission rights-of-way, warning that such activities threatened power supply stability and posed significant public safety concerns.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, the visit was described as part of efforts to deepen institutional relationships between the transmission company and LASPEMA, while encouraging structured and sustainable urban development in Lagos.
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It read, “The Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, has called for closer collaboration with the Lagos State Government to safeguard its critical infrastructure across the state.”
Akintola noted that unregulated construction beneath high-tension power lines had become a serious operational concern for TCN, especially in Lagos, where rapid population increase and limited land availability continued to put pressure on public utilities.
He explained that encroachment on transmission corridors frequently led to equipment damage, safety risks and recurring grid disruptions, adversely impacting electricity supply to households, commercial establishments and industries.
In his response, the Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Oluyinka Olumide, who oversees LASPEMA, restated the state government’s commitment to efficient land-use planning, stakeholder collaboration and strict enforcement of planning laws.
Olumide assured TCN of the government’s willingness to collaborate with relevant agencies to protect designated open spaces, secure utility corridors and advance sustainable urban growth.
Earlier, the General Manager of LASPEMA, Daisi Oso, pledged the agency’s full support in preventing illegal developments within high-tension corridors, adding that enforcement measures would be intensified to discourage further violations.
Encroachment on transmission infrastructure remains a longstanding challenge for the power sector, particularly in Lagos and other heavily populated urban areas.
TCN has consistently cautioned that illegal structures beneath transmission lines heighten the risk of electrocution, equipment vandalism and extended power outages, while also hindering maintenance activities and grid expansion.
The renewed call for collaboration aligns with ongoing Federal Government initiatives to reinforce the national grid, minimise system disturbances and enhance the reliability of electricity supply across the country.