NISO targets economic growth through reliable grid management

…embrace system automation to boost infrastructure management

The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) has reaffirmed its commitment to managing the country’s electricity grid with reliability, transparency, and efficiency, aiming to build a sustainable and competitive power sector that drives economic growth.

Abdu Bello Mohammed, the Managing Director/CEO of NISO, made the commitment on Tuesday in Abuja during the unveiling ceremony of NISO’s Logo, Mission, vision and core values.

While highlighting its role in Nigeria’s evolving electricity landscape, Mohammed said, “NISO’s mandate goes beyond technical grid coordination. The agency exists to provide a neutral, transparent platform that ensures fairness for all participants in the electricity market, from generation companies and distribution companies to eligible customers and regional partners.

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“Every great institution has a moment when it defines itself clearly, boldly, and unapologetically. This is that moment for NISO,” he said. “We now coordinate the grid without bias. We make market decisions without fear or favour. We serve with a mission to improve the quality of life through a power sector that actually works for the country,” Mohammed said.

NISO, which was formally separated from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) under the Electricity Act of 2023, now operates as a fully independent system operator with its own legal identity and structure. This shift, Mohammed noted, has brought both responsibility and opportunity.

He pointed out that trust in Nigeria’s electricity market hinges on trust in the institutions that manage it. “Our mission is to manage Nigeria’s electricity grid with reliability, efficiency and transparency. But the deeper goal is to create the conditions for a sustainable power sector that empowers economic growth and improves lives. That’s the impact we are aiming for,” he said.

He also laid out a bold vision: the emergence of a fully established electricity market that becomes a key driver of national development. According to him, this vision challenges NISO to think beyond routine operations and embrace innovation, collaboration, and long-term planning.

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Mohammed said several steps are being taken to transform the institution internally and externally. These include a digitisation and automation drive in partnership with global technology firm Huawei, which is expected to enhance system visibility and modernise NISO’s grid management infrastructure.

He also referenced ongoing site inspections, stakeholder engagements, and a new culture of openness that values input from every level of staff. He called on NISO employees to not only embrace the new identity but to live it, act as ambassadors for its values, and hold themselves to the highest standards of public service and professionalism.

“The future of Nigeria’s electricity supply depends on trust. That trust begins here with us. Together, we are NISO, and together, we will deliver,” he concluded.