The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has commenced the second phase of compensation for Project Affected Persons (PAPs) on the 330kV Double Circuit Quad Conductor Mando–Rimin Zakara Transmission Line Project in Kaduna State.
Mrs Ndidi Mbah, TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, said the exercise began on Thursday in Shika, Zaria, with over 2,000 claimants receiving compensation.
Mbah said the process started with screening and verification, during which affected persons presented original documents for authentication before payment.
According to her, the process is designed to ensure that all legitimate claimants are properly identified and duly compensated, in line with TCN’s commitment to accountability and due process.
“In line with its standard operational procedures, TCN prioritises the clearing of the Right of Way (RoW) before the commencement of any transmission project. This step ensures safety, protects infrastructure integrity, and enables seamless project execution,” she said.
The Project Manager, Ms Omobola Sobo, said 5,500 PAPs were enumerated for compensation along the Mando–Rimin Zakara transmission corridor, with the second phase covering approximately 2,000 of them.
She commended the district heads and community leaders for their cooperation in sensitising community members on the importance of the project and the compensation process.
Sobo also acknowledged the support of TCN’s Managing Director, Mr Sule Abdulaziz, and the African Development Bank (AfDB) toward the successful implementation of the process.
In his remarks, the District Head of Rigasa, Muhammed Idris, said that while 100 per cent satisfaction may not always be possible, TCN had remained transparent and collaborative by engaging community leaders and members throughout the project.
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He expressed optimism that the project would improve power supply and stimulate socio-economic development across the affected communities.
Some beneficiaries commended TCN for the transparent conduct of the exercise. Lawal Abubakar thanked TCN for the initiative, expressed appreciation for the compensation, and pledged continued community support and cooperation.
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 2×150 Megavolt Ampere (MVA) 330/132/33kV substation in Jaja, Zaria.
The project is being implemented with support from the Federal Government of Nigeria and the AfDB. It is one of the major transmission reinforcement projects in Northern Nigeria, connecting critical load centres across the Kaduna, Zaria, and Kano industrial corridors.
The project is also part of broader efforts to expand Nigeria’s transmission wheeling capacity and improve grid reliability and redundancy nationwide.
