Grid Mgt: TCN Hands Over Temporary National Control Centre to NISO
By Core Reporters
Abuja (Core Reporters) As part of efforts to improve grid management in Nigeria, the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, has officially handed over the control room building extension for the SCADA/EMS at the Gwagwalada 330kV Transmission Substation to the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO). The facility will serve as a temporary National Control Centre, NCC, in Abuja.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of TCN, Engr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, described the occasion as a defining moment for the company and a significant milestone in the collective effort to strengthen Nigeria’s electricity transmission infrastructure.
Represented by the General Manager, Project Coordination, Engr. Aminu Tahir, the MD/CEO said that the completion of the facility marked not just the end of a construction project, but the beginning of a new phase in grid management and national power coordination.
According to him, “The building was designed as temporary accommodation for the newly acquired SCADA-EMS and telecommunications systems, along with a dedicated team of operational staff. It will now serve as a temporary operational base for NISO, enabling the organisation to oversee grid operations more efficiently and reliably until the permanent NCC becomes operational.”
He added, “With this handover, NISO will assume full responsibility for operating and maintaining the facility,”
“We hand over this facility to NISO, because we believe it is key to better grid management, improved system reliability, and better service delivery for Nigerians. Together, we are laying the groundwork for a stronger and more resilient grid,” he said.
Engr. Abdulaziz also expressed appreciation to the World Bank for its sustained support throughout the project. He reaffirmed TCN’s commitment to collaboration, innovation, and service excellence as the facility commences operations under NISO, ahead of the eventual commissioning of the permanent National Control Centre in Gwagwalada.
In his acceptance remarks, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NISO, Engr. Abdu Mohammed Bello, was represented by the General Manager, System Planning, Engr. Kabir Adamu. He thanked TCN Management for delivering the project and described the handover as more than an infrastructure transfer. He called it a critical step toward improving the operational capacity of the nation’s electricity grid.
“We all recognise the importance of SCADA-EMS for grid operations. This control room provides NISO with the environment needed to commence the operationalisation of the SCADA/EMS project at this stage of its deployment,” he said.
He assured that NISO would manage the facility responsibly to support efficient grid operations and pledged the organisation’s continued collaboration to advance the nation’s power sector.
TCN’s Project Manager, Engr. Samuel Fakinlade, noted that once the permanent NCC building is completed, the equipment and staff currently housed at the facility will be relocated, and the building returned to TCN.
The facility houses the newly installed SCADA-EMS and telecommunications system designed to support real-time grid management and system operations. It will serve as an interim control centre to strengthen grid management pending the completion of the permanent NCC building.
