Vice President Kashim Shettima has tasked the newly inaugurated Board of Directors of the Nigerian Independent System Operator Limited (NISO) with the critical responsibility of stabilizing and securing the national power grid. During the inauguration ceremony held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday, Shettima emphasized the importance of the Board’s role in ensuring the seamless generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity across the country.
In his address, Shettima urged the Board to uphold the highest standards of integrity and professionalism in the execution of their duties. He stated that the government’s expectations are high and that the Board must leverage its collective expertise to meet the ambitious goals set forth in President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for the nation’s power sector.
“The Tinubu administration is committed to building a resilient, transparent, and investment-friendly power sector,” Shettima affirmed. He added that the establishment of NISO is a significant step towards this vision. He also assured that the government would provide all necessary support to ensure NISO operates independently and efficiently, in line with global best practices.
Shettima explained that the newly appointed NISO Board members were chosen as part of the government’s ongoing commitment to reforming the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI). He highlighted NISO’s pivotal role in maintaining the stability, reliability, and security of Nigeria’s national grid. The Vice President further noted that NISO consists of the System Operator and the Market Operator, two essential entities responsible for coordinating Nigeria’s electricity generation in real-time, optimizing energy dispatch, and ensuring market discipline and transparency.
“The rigorous selection process has produced a team with the requisite experience and expertise to lead NISO successfully,” Shettima declared. “Your leadership will play a vital role in ensuring the sustainable development of the power sector and driving Nigeria’s economic growth.”
Addressing the future of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Shettima confirmed that while TCN will transfer all assets and liabilities related to market and system operations to NISO, it will retain its transmission service provider license. TCN will continue to manage transmission assets and focus on enhancing grid infrastructure, regional interconnections, and investment in crucial transmission upgrades.
Chief Adelabu Adebayo, the Minister of Power, highlighted that NISO is tasked with overseeing the efficiency and stability of the national grid and ensuring the quality of service for electricity consumers. He pointed out that NISO’s mandate includes coordinating real-time electricity generation, enforcing market discipline, and ensuring transparency among all stakeholders in the power sector.
The Chairman of the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Sanusi Garba, echoed Shettima’s sentiments, reaffirming the administration’s unwavering commitment to improving the power sector. He expressed confidence that the NISO Board would operate efficiently and independently, ensuring that Nigeria’s electricity market meets global standards.
It’s worth noting that in March, President Tinubu appointed Dr. Adesegun Olugbade as the Chairman of the NISO Board, marking a new chapter in the nation’s power sector reform efforts.
As the new NISO Board begins its mandate, all eyes are on Nigeria’s power sector, with hopes high for improvements in the stability and reliability of the national grid.
