By AIshioma Appiah-Yeboah
In a decisive move to strengthen Nigeria’s electricity value chain, the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) and the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) have announced a comprehensive joint action plan aimed at enhancing safety, enforcing standards, and improving metering accuracy nationwide.
The announcement was made following a high-level meeting between both agencies, where critical issues affecting the sector including technical inefficiencies and safety lapses were addressed.
In a statement issued by NEMSA’s Head of Communications and Protocol, Ama Umoren, the Managing Director of NISO, Engr. Abdu Mohammed, emphasized NEMSA’s pivotal role in maintaining technical integrity within the power sector through rigorous testing, certification, and enforcement of regulatory standards.
Engr. Mohammed pointed to Nigeria’s persistently high Technical Loss Factor (TLF) as a major concern, attributing it largely to inaccurate and poorly calibrated metering systems. He urged NEMSA to ensure transparent and precise meter certification to reduce losses and drive operational efficiency.
He further emphasized that “all newly constructed substations and transmission lines whether under the purview of Transmission Service Providers (TSPs), Generation Companies (GENCOs), or Distribution Companies (DISCOs) must undergo mandatory inspection and certification by NEMSA before they are commissioned.”
In his response, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NEMSA and the Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation, Engr. Aliyu Tukur Tahir, reaffirmed the agency’s unwavering commitment to its regulatory mandate. He highlighted sectoral challenges such as grid instability caused by unregulated 33kV feeders, delays in enforcement due to legal bottlenecks, and persistent non-compliance by some DISCOs.
To fast-track enforcement, both agencies agreed to adopt administrative sanctions to bypass lengthy legal processes when necessary. A Joint Technical Team was also inaugurated to drive the implementation of the action plan. The team will focus on strategic areas including metering standards, inspectorate services, renewable energy integration, financial oversight, and logistics planning.
As part of the new cooperation framework, NEMSA and NISO will also collaborate with key stakeholders such as the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Nigerian Customs Service to curb the influx of substandard electrical materials into the country.
Looking ahead, Engr. Tahir revealed that NEMSA is actively developing protocols for the safe integration of mini-grids and energy storage systems into the national gridbaligning with Nigeria’s broader renewable energy and sustainability goals.
“This partnership marks a critical step towards delivering a safer, more efficient, and fully compliant electricity infrastructure for the benefit of all Nigerians,” Engr. Tahir affirmed.
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