The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has declared Force Majeure on the 132kV Birnin Kebbi–Niamey transmission line after severe weather caused three transmission towers to collapse.
The failure occurred at Chibike Village, where heavy rainfall and a violent windstorm brought down the critical infrastructure, cutting off power transmission along the route.
The declaration of Force Majeure is a legal mechanism that exempts the Transmission Company of Nigeria from certain contractual liabilities and penalties resulting from its inability to deliver power through that specific line.
Under energy sector regulations, Force Majeure applies when an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond the control of the party occurs, making it impossible to fulfil obligations.
The Birnin Kebbi–Niamey line is a strategic piece of infrastructure designed to facilitate the exchange of electricity between Nigeria and the Republic of Niger.
The collapse of these towers disrupts not only the local supply in the Northwest region of Nigeria but also the regional energy trade agreements between the two nations.
TCN officials have indicated that the damage was purely environmental, stemming from the intensity of the storm at Chibike Village, rather than technical failure or sabotage.
Impact on Regional Energy Integration and Grid Stability
This disruption comes at a time when West African nations are attempting to deepen energy integration through the West African Power Pool (WAPP).
The WAPP initiative aims to create a unified regional electricity market, allowing countries to trade surplus power and reduce the cost of electricity across the bloc.
Repeated infrastructure failures on interconnectors, such as the Birnin Kebbi–Niamey line, hinder these objectives and leave member states reliant on expensive, isolated generation sources.
For businesses in Kebbi State and the bordering regions of Niger, the loss of this line increases the likelihood of power instability and reliance on diesel generators.
The energy instability affects Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the Northwest, where power reliability is already a significant bottleneck for manufacturing and agro-processing.
This event further highlights the vulnerability of the Nigerian national grid to climate-related shocks. The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has previously emphasised the need for increased investment in grid resilience to prevent systemic collapses.
TCN has faced ongoing challenges with grid stability, with several total system collapses recorded over the last few years due to both technical faults and external shocks.
The collapse of towers during weather events suggests a need for more robust engineering standards for transmission lines in areas prone to extreme wind and rain.
TCN is now tasked with the urgent reconstruction of the collapsed towers to restore the interconnection and resume power exports to Niamey.
The duration of the Force Majeure period will depend on the speed of the restoration works and the availability of replacement materials.
TCN is expected to provide an updated timeline for the restoration of the 132kV line as engineering assessments of the Chibike Village site continue.
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