NISO Begins Second Phase of Training to Strengthen National Grid Operations

NISO Begins Second Phase of Training to Strengthen National Grid Operations

By Our Reporter

Abuja (Core Reporters) — The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) has commenced the second phase of its capacity development programme for system operators, aimed at strengthening the technical competence and operational readiness required for the safe, secure and reliable management of Nigeria’s national electricity grid.

Declaring the training open, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NISO, Engr. Abdu Bello Mohammed, said continuous capacity development was essential to equipping system operators with the knowledge and skills required to manage the increasing complexities of the power system and respond effectively to changing operational conditions.

Mohammed stressed that NISO’s responsibilities as an independent system operator demand technical competence, sound judgment, discipline, teamwork and an unwavering commitment to safety.

He said the training was also designed to promote a common operational culture anchored on professionalism, integrity, neutrality, reliability and continuous improvement.

The NISO boss urged participants to deepen their understanding of the Grid Code, describing it as a fundamental standard guiding the responsibilities and operations of system operators.

He encouraged active participation and knowledge-sharing throughout the programme, noting that its ultimate objective was to translate the knowledge acquired into improved operational performance across NISO’s control centres.

Mohammed assured that NISO would continue to invest in the development of its system operators, stressing that modern technologies could only deliver their full potential when supported by competent and well-trained professionals.

Also speaking, the Executive Director, System Operations, Engr. Nafisatu Ali, highlighted the critical role of system operators in independently and transparently operating, monitoring, coordinating and managing the national grid to ensure safe, secure and economical electricity delivery.

She said the responsibilities of system operators include real-time grid management, coordination of generation and power flows, load allocation, outage management, emergency response and maintenance planning.

Given the interconnected nature of Nigeria’s electricity system, Ali stressed the importance of effective coordination among control centres in maintaining grid stability.

She urged participants to deepen their understanding of voltage and frequency control, outage management, power-flow monitoring, real-time balancing of generation and load, as well as coordination among control rooms.

Ali also encouraged the participants to learn from system disturbances and near misses, describing such incidents as opportunities to strengthen operational knowledge, improve preparedness and prevent future occurrences.

The Executive Director, Finance and Corporate Services, Babajide Ibironke, emphasised the need for the training programme to deliver measurable value to both the participants and NISO.

He disclosed that participants would be required to share the knowledge acquired with their respective teams in line with the organisation’s knowledge-sharing policy.

The programme is part of NISO’s broader efforts to build the human capacity required to support the effective, reliable and efficient operation of Nigeria’s evolving electricity system.