President Bola Tinubu has appointed key board members for the newly established Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO). This move aligns with the Electricity Act of 2023, which mandates the unbundling of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) into two entities: a Transmission System Provider (TSP) and an Independent System Operator (ISO).
The appointments were announced in a statement on Wednesday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy. According to him, Dr. Adesegun Akin-Olugbade has been appointed as the Board Chairman, while Engineer Abdu Mohammed Bello will serve as the Managing Director.
Key Appointments and Responsibilities
To ensure smooth operations, the President has also appointed several Executive Directors, who will oversee different aspects of NISO’s functions:
Engineer Nafisatu Asabe Ali – Systems Operation
Engineer Shehu Abba-Aliyu – Systems Planning
Dr. Edmund Eje – Market Operations
Mr. Babajide Ibironke – Finance and Corporate Services
In addition, Non-Executive Directors have been selected to represent various sectors within the electricity industry. These include:
Engineer Lamu Audu – Generation
Mrs. Folake Soetan – Distribution
Mr. Tajudeen Giwa-Osagie – Market Expert
Engineer Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz – Transmission
Alhaji Mahmuda Mamman – Federal Ministry of Power
NISO’s Role in Nigeria’s Power Sector
Furthermore, the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) will oversee the final stages of the recruitment process, ensuring compliance with due process and governance standards.
More importantly, the establishment of NISO marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s power sector transformation. According to Onanuga, this move is expected to improve grid stability, enhance power distribution efficiency, and attract private sector investment into the electricity market.
Moreover, NISO was officially incorporated on April 30, 2024, by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC). It will operate as an independent entity, with ownership split equally between the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI).
By separating the operational and regulatory functions of electricity transmission, the federal government aims to create a more competitive, transparent, and efficient electricity market. As a result, this initiative could lead to a more reliable power supply across the country, benefiting both businesses and households.
