FG starts new power control centre to curb blackouts

File photo: Vice President Kashim Shettima.

The Federal Government has begun construction of a new National Control Centre for the Nigerian Independent System Operator in Osogbo, Osun State, to replace the existing facility, which officials described as 64 years old, and strengthen the monitoring and management of Nigeria’s electricity grid.

The groundbreaking ceremony was performed on Wednesday by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Legal and Compliance Matters, Alhaji Bashir Maidugu. The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, was also in attendance.

According to a statement issued by the minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Adeola Labzy, the project is part of the government’s efforts to address weaknesses in electricity supply and improve the reliability of the national grid.

The statement read, “The Federal Government has begun construction of a new ultra-modern National Control Centre for the Nigerian Independent System Operator in Osogbo, Osun State, replacing a 64-year-old facility that no longer meets the demands of running Nigeria’s grid.”

Speaking through his representative, Shettima said reliable electricity was central to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, stressing that power supply remained critical to economic growth, industrial productivity and social development.

He said electricity enabled manufacturers to plan production, small businesses to operate confidently, and hospitals and schools to function effectively, while creating jobs and expanding economic opportunities.

The Vice-President described the National Control Centre as a critical component of grid reliability, saying Nigeria needed modern infrastructure to manage its increasingly interconnected electricity system.

He said the country could not continue to operate a modern grid with outdated equipment and systems.
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In his remarks, Tegbe said the new centre would give NISO improved visibility of activities across the national grid and enable operators to respond more quickly to faults and other disturbances.

He described the project as a practical demonstration of the President’s commitment to addressing the underlying challenges affecting electricity supply.

According to the minister, the facility will feature an integrated Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system, large-format display screens and analytical tools to help operators identify emerging faults, plan preventive maintenance and optimise the use of existing generation and transmission capacity.

The centre is also expected to improve responses to grid disturbances, support the integration of renewable energy and strengthen Nigeria’s coordination with other countries participating in the West African Power Pool.

Tegbe said the project would be supported by stronger physical and cybersecurity measures to protect critical electricity infrastructure.

He said consumers and businesses stood to benefit from fewer avoidable outages and more dependable electricity supply, although the effectiveness of the control centre would also depend on improvements across the wider power value chain.

The minister noted that adequate gas supply to power plants, properly maintained transmission equipment and functional distribution networks remained essential to delivering electricity to end users.

He said the new facility would strengthen the coordination needed to translate investments in generation and transmission into usable electricity for homes and businesses.

NISO Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Abdu Bello Mohammed, said the project would improve the operator’s ability to monitor the national grid, coordinate system operations and make faster, better-informed decisions during disturbances.

He said improved data from upgraded telemetry systems, SCADA and automatic metering would support more effective grid management, improve market settlement and strengthen the security and resilience of electricity supply.

Mohammed added that the centre would equip NISO to meet the technical requirements of the West African power system.

He also emphasised the importance of developing skilled personnel to operate the new technology, noting that infrastructure alone would not guarantee better grid performance.

He said NISO was building the capacity of its operators to meet international standards, stressing that the effectiveness of the facility would depend on the people responsible for running it.

“Technology does not operate the grid, people do,” he said.

The ceremony was attended by members of the NISO board and management, members of the National Assembly committees on power, leaders of electricity distribution companies, representatives of the Osun State Government, industry stakeholders and community leaders.

Damilola Aina

Damilola Aina is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over five years of experience covering energy, business, investment, infrastructure, and property sectors. He specializes in producing well-researched and insightful reports that inform readers and provide clarity on complex topics. Damilola’s work demonstrates practical newsroom experience, editorial insight, and a strong commitment to accurate and engaging journalism.

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