Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno has pledged state government intervention to help complete the long-delayed NIPP Lot 18 transmission project, a 330kV electricity transmission line linking the Ikot Ekpene and Ikot Abasi axis. Eno made the commitment on September 9, 2026, when he received a delegation from the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), led by its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Jennifer Adighije, at Government House in Uyo.
The governor said the state would work with NDPHC to address obstacles preventing completion of the project, which is expected to strengthen electricity supply and support economic activity across Akwa Ibom.
The renewed push comes as the state advances its own electricity-sector reforms. In August, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission transferred regulatory oversight of Akwa Ibom’s electricity market to the newly established Akwa Ibom State Electricity Regulatory Commission (AKSERC).
The development gives the stalled transmission project added importance as the state seeks to expand electricity access and create a more functional local power market.
The transmission project is not a new initiative. NDPHC said the scheme began about two decades ago but has encountered several setbacks, particularly disputes and unresolved compensation obligations involving communities along the project corridor.
Adighije specifically appealed to the Akwa Ibom Government to help resolve outstanding wayleave compensation owed to communities affected by the transmission infrastructure.
Wayleave compensation generally relates to payments connected with the use of land or property rights required for infrastructure such as transmission lines. Resolving such obligations can be critical to allowing contractors to access affected areas and complete outstanding construction work.
Historical government procurement records also show that wayleave compensation for the Ikot Ekpene–Ikot Abasi 330kV transmission line was part of the NIPP Lot 18 project.
Key issues surrounding the project include:
- Outstanding wayleave compensation to affected communities.
- Community-related disputes along the transmission corridor.
- Delays that have persisted for roughly 20 years.
- The need for coordination between the state government and NDPHC.
- The wider requirement for stronger transmission infrastructure to support electricity-sector development.
Governor Eno said the state’s intervention reflects its priority of improving access to dependable electricity and using stronger infrastructure to accelerate economic development.
The 330kV transmission line is particularly significant because transmission capacity is essential for moving electricity from generating facilities into distribution networks. Completing the project would therefore provide infrastructure that can support the broader electricity market rather than simply addressing an isolated local power problem.
The governor’s administration has already placed electricity reform among its development priorities. In June, Eno inaugurated a five-member board for AKSERC and directed the commission to overhaul the state’s electricity sector within 18 months.
The state government has also established an electricity reform framework aimed at improving supply, attracting investment and expanding access to power.
For NDPHC, the meeting with Eno represents an opportunity to remove one of the major obstacles standing between the project and completion.
Adighije welcomed the governor’s willingness to intervene and described the state’s support as an important contribution to ongoing development efforts.
She also expressed NDPHC’s readiness to work with Akwa Ibom on the development of an effective electricity market framework following the establishment of AKSERC.
The delegation included NDPHC Executive Director of Networks Bello Bello, Executive Director of Strategy and Commercial Patrick Obaihiagbon, and former Akwa Ibom Deputy Governor Nsima Ekere.
The timing of the renewed push is significant. NERC transferred regulatory oversight of Akwa Ibom’s electricity market to AKSERC effective August 18, 2026, marking a major step in the state’s electricity-sector transition.
AKSERC has also engaged the Transmission Company of Nigeria on transmission constraints and infrastructure upgrades needed to support a reliable electricity market in the state.
That means the completion of NIPP Lot 18 could become part of a wider infrastructure strategy involving:
- Greater transmission capacity.
- More reliable electricity supply.
- Development of Akwa Ibom’s electricity market.
- Improved conditions for industrial and commercial investment.
- Greater coordination between state and federal power institutions.
The immediate challenge is resolving the outstanding compensation and community issues that have kept the transmission project from reaching completion.
Governor Eno’s pledge does not by itself establish a completion date, but it signals a willingness by the state government to intervene in an infrastructure project that has remained unfinished for years.
If the compensation disputes are successfully resolved and NDPHC can resume or accelerate work, the Ikot Ekpene–Ikot Abasi transmission corridor could become an important component of Akwa Ibom’s emerging electricity infrastructure.
The project also comes at a time when the state is attempting to build a more locally responsive electricity market. The success of that reform will depend not only on regulation but also on whether adequate transmission and distribution infrastructure is available to support it.
For residents and businesses, the critical test will therefore be whether the renewed government intervention moves NIPP Lot 18 from another long-running infrastructure commitment to a completed power asset.
