The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) has called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders in the electricity sector to address persistent challenges affecting the stability, reliability and resilience of Nigeria’s power grid.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NISO, Engr. Abdu Bello Mohammed, FNSE, made the call on Wednesday at the opening of a two-day workshop on “Strengthening Grid Stability: A Collaborative Workshop for NESI Stakeholders,” held at the Jebba Power Station.
Mohammed said grid stability remained the foundation of a secure and reliable Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), stressing that addressing the challenges confronting the power system required coordinated action across the entire electricity value chain.
He identified generation and transmission constraints, changing demand patterns, frequency excursions, voltage-security challenges and the increasing diversity of energy resources as some of the factors complicating grid operations.
According to him, frequency excursions could arise from sudden generation or load losses, inaccurate forecasting and scheduling, fault-induced disturbances, inadequate system inertia and the response characteristics of generating units during system events.
He noted that NISO’s compliance monitoring activities had reinforced the importance of adherence to technical performance standards, including Free Governor Control requirements.
The NISO boss stressed that technical interventions alone would not resolve the challenges facing the grid, noting that accurate and timely operational information, adequate frequency and voltage control resources, effective reserve management, strict compliance with the Grid Code and operational discipline were equally critical.
“Above all, seamless coordination among stakeholders” was required to maintain a stable and secure electricity system, he said.
Mohammed also emphasised the importance of long-term system planning as Nigeria pursues new generation projects, transmission infrastructure and other greenfield investments in the power sector.
He said the integration of new projects would require careful assessment of transmission adequacy, system strength, operational flexibility, reserve requirements, reliability criteria and future demand growth.
According to him, the stability of the future grid would depend not only on how effectively the system is operated today, but also on how deliberately the network is planned and developed to accommodate emerging energy resources and changing system requirements.
He urged participants at the workshop to move from diagnosis to practical solutions and develop technically grounded measures capable of addressing the most pressing challenges confronting grid operations.
Mohammed said the workshop was expected to produce a stakeholder-validated understanding of the major threats to grid stability, measurable commitments to improve frequency and voltage control, and practical coordination protocols among NISO, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), generating companies (GenCos), distribution companies (DisCos) and other stakeholders.
He added that the meeting should also promote greater alignment between operational requirements and long-term system planning, particularly as the country prepares for further grid expansion and the integration of new generation projects.
The NISO chief executive reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to deepening collaboration with TCN, GenCos, DisCos, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), policymakers and other stakeholders.
He said the objective was to support the development and operation of a power grid that is “stable, resilient, responsive” and capable of supporting Nigeria’s economic growth and development.
Mohammed urged participants to engage openly, share experiences, challenge existing assumptions where necessary and contribute practical solutions that would translate into measurable improvements in grid reliability and operational performance.
The workshop was hosted by Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited, operators of the Jebba Hydro Power Plant, and brought together representatives of the Federal Ministry of Power, NERC, NISO, TCN, generating and distribution companies, industry experts and technical professionals.
He expressed appreciation to Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited for hosting the event and called for sustained accountability and strategic foresight in safeguarding the integrity of Nigeria’s electricity grid.
