TCN Declares Force Majeure as Severe Storm Topples Three Power Towers on Nigeria-Niger Line

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has declared force majeure on the 132kV Birnin Kebbi–Niamey transmission corridor after extreme weather triggered the collapse of three key electricity towers, cutting off bulk power supply to the Niger Republic capital.

The disruption began when the cross-border line experienced an abrupt trip. While control engineers attempted an immediate trial reclosure to restore line balance, the system tripped again, prompting the dispatch of a ground emergency patrol team to trace the fault.

A physical inspection carried out by TCN linesmen revealed that three critical towers—designated T109, T110, and T111—had buckled and collapsed in Chibike Village, Kebbi State. The utility company attributed the infrastructure damage to torrential rainfall and intense windstorms that battered the area.

With the transmission path severely compromised, TCN invoked force majeure—a standard legal declaration indicating that emergency conditions beyond operational control have temporarily halted contractual power delivery.

To address the outage, the company confirmed that emergency engineering crews and reconstruction materials have already been mobilized to the site. The team is tasked with clearing the debris, rebuilding the fallen towers, and restringing the high-voltage lines to restore the regional transmission link.

TCN expressed regret to electricity consumers in Niamey for the disruption, assuring that technical teams are working round the clock to complete the repairs and resume normal power flow within the shortest possible timeframe.