By SUNDAY ABBA, Abuja
The Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) and the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) have announced a joint action plan to strengthen safety, enforce standards and regulations, and enhance metering accuracy in the country’s power sector.
This disclosed in a statement signed by Ama Umoren, Head, Communications & Protocol, NEMSA.
Speaking, the Managing Director of NISO, Engr Abdu Mohammed, reaffirmed NEMSA’s vital role in enforcing technical standards and regulations, conducting testing and certification of electrical installations and equipment in the sector.
He highlighted the urgent need to address Nigeria’s high Technical Loss Factor (TLF), which is largely attributed to inaccurate and poorly calibrated metering systems.
The MD/CEO, NISO urged NEMSA to prioritise transparent and accurate certification of meters to reduce losses and improve efficiency, stressing that all new substations and transmission lines -whether managed by Transmission Service Providers (TSPs), Generation Companies (GenCos), or Distribution Companies (DisCos) — must be thoroughly tested and certified by NEMSA before commissioning.
In his response, the MD/CEO, NEMSA & Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation, Engr Aliyu Tukur Tahir, underscored the agency’s unwavering commitment to enforcing safety, technical standards, and regulations in line with its mandate.
He outlined the challenges facing the sector, including grid instability caused by the indiscriminate use of 33kV feeders, lengthy enforcement processes, and noncompliance by some DisCos.
To address these challenges, both agencies agreed to collaborate as well as fast-track enforcement by introducing administrative sanctions to avoid lengthy legal processes where necessary.
In a significant step, a Joint Technical Team – comprising representatives from both sides was constituted. The team will focus on key areas including metering, standards, inspectorate services, renewables, financial and logistics frameworks.
Their immediate priority will be the recertification and standardisation of grid metering systems nationwide.
Both agencies also pledged to share data, collaborate with other stakeholders like the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Nigerian Customs Service to curb the influx of substandard electrical materials.
Looking ahead, the MD/CEO of NEMSA said the agency is developing protocols to safely integrate mini-grids and energy storage systems with the national grid in line with Nigeria’s renewable energy goals.
The NEMSA boss also reiterated the agency’s support for a review of the Electricity Act (EA’23) to strengthen its enforcement powers.
Through this partnership, NEMSA and NISO aim to deliver safer, more compliant, and more reliable electricity infrastructure for all Nigerians, the Engr Tahir stated.